I read a wonderful article today http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130638147 that listed many of the impressive accomplishments of the 111th Congress. I won’t repeat them all here, but please do take a look at the article. Despite
unstinting and unwavering Republican obstructionism, the Democrats have a
tremendous record of achievement. This has been, in fact, one of the most productive
Congressional sessions in at least half a century.
Yet we so often hear people complaining that the President hasn’t done much, and that Congress is in gridlock. Much of the agenda the Democrats ran on in 2008 has in fact been enacted, but no one seems to notice. Part of the problem undoubtedly is that, after a decade of inattention and incompetence, there is just so very much to do. Even after such a stunningly productive session, the list of things that need fixing remains long.
Imagine you and a few friends from college join together and buy a house. Someone else lived there before, and performed no repairs for the last ten years. In fact, they had wild parties nearly ever night, and left the place a shambles. You move in, and hardly know where to start. So you begin with the emergency stuff — you buy a new furnace, new water heater, new stove and fridge. You start trying to sweep the dust out of some of the rooms.
But your three roomies from college are just not cooperating. One of them only sits around in his room and complains, another keeps stealing and hiding your tools, and the third one occasionally knocks more holes in the walls. None of them agree on what should be repaired first, or what color to repaint. And they won’t help to pay the bills either, forcing
you to borrow the money — and then they complain that you’re putting them all further into debt.
The emergency stuff gets done — you had to do that furnace, because winter’s coming on. You got some of the wiring fixed. And the stove now works. But since you spent so much time and effort with the emergencies, you didn’t have a chance yet to fix the windows, or repair some of the holes in the roof. The weather is getting colder, and there’s still a stiff
breeze coming in, and rain is dripping from the rafters, and the uncooperative roomies complain that they’re cold and demand to know why you’re not done fixing
everything yet.
Oh, and bear in mind — the roomie who keeps breaking things is one of the guys who had been there before, one of the party animals who had spent theprevious decade trashing the house. And he now wants to invite more of his friends to move in, the ones who like to celebrate by firing their guns intothe air. Indoors.
Things sometimes have to get a lot worse before they get better. Alcoholics Anonymous often tells us an addict has to hit rock bottom before pulling out. America may still be addicted to right wing memes. Let’s hope we hit bottom before 2012.
538 Refugees 
Has it occurred to you Dems that this election is a referendum on the Dem government’s “accomplishments” and that verdict is a categorical rejections of almost every one despite the best Dem efforts to run away from their own record?http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/october_2010/most_voters_oppose_the_reelection_of_anyone_who_voted_for_the_health_care_law_auto_bailouts_stimulus_planPerhaps, the discussion should instead be whether the 111th Congress was the most destructive, profligate and anti-democratic in the history of the Republic.
Bart asked:Has it occurred to you Dems that this election is a referendum on the Dem government’s “accomplishments” and that verdict is a categorical rejections of almost every one despite the best Dem efforts to run away from their own record?That is hard to believe, when the descriptions coming from the right are so divorced from reality. Death panels? Really? And the false statement that allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire on people who make over $250,000 will hurt small businesses? And so on … none of the rhetoric coming from the right bears any semblance to the real world. Obama is a socialist Muslim who wasn’t born in the US?It could be that people disapprove of the policies that the Republicans accuse the Democrats of implementing. But the Republican accusations are all mere inventions. What the Democrats enacted is precisely what they ran on in 2008; it is exactly what people voted for two years ago.
The Democrats have had their chance to run the country for the past 4 years, and the American people are now paying the price. This election in 12 days will be a rejection of failed Democratic poliices. Democrats are not running on the so called “many impressive accomplishments” of the 111th Congress. They’re running FROM them.
Somebody should tell all the voters that this really is a referendum on the accomplishments of the government’s accomplishments of the last two years. Heck, around here it’s being presented as a choice between candidates.Oh, and GROG? 4 years? George Bush resigned in 2006? Who knew? But even accepting that interpretation of events and responsibility, then the retort would have to be “Sure, it’s only fair. The GOP ran things from 1994 – 2006, twelve years, so if the Democrats couldn’t clean it up in 4 years, throw the bums out and let the GOP try it again.”If that sounds good to you, well, you are welcome to trot it out another few hundred times.
@BartPerhaps, the discussion should instead be whether the 111th Congress was the most destructive, profligate and anti-democratic in the history of the Republic.No, that distinction was won by the Republican congress under Bush 2.Obama’s popularity is actually doing well — as I frequently point out, it’s better than many presidents, certainly higher than Reagan — and the economy (thanks to 8 years of Bush) is far worse than it was two years into Reagan’s first term. There’s no doubt in my mind that the economy is dragging down lots of the poll numbers. You’ll see, over the next two years, as the economy continues to improve, those numbers will come back up.Meanwhile, a lot of the “likely voter” polling (how much? we’ll find out in two weeks) is, i think, being misunderstood. The right direction / wrong track numbers don’t look good — but, as usual, pollsters do not ask “Why?” If someone asked me if I like the direction the country is going, I’d say “No!” But I’d say that because the Republicans still have too much power, they’re controlling the message and have been interfering with the economic recovery (ex: Republican Governors turning down stimulus money that would have created jobs).But since my answer would be “No,” the pollster would mark me down as someone likely to vote against Democrats, which is absolutely wrong. How much of this is going on? It is really hard to say.The same issue was more obvious throughout 2009, during the Health Care debate. A lot of people didn’t like the bill that was, at the time, emerging through Congress — but lots of people didn’t like it because it didn’t go far enough. Yet they were portrayed as opposing Health Care Reform.So, how much of the “unhappiness” of the electorate is directed at Republican obstructionism? We won’t really know until the day after the election.How much will the much-repeated “enthusiasm” actually affect turnout? We don’t know. No one has ever demonstrated any connection between “enthusiasm” and turnout, yet “enthusiasm” is what is driving all the “likely voter” polls.It’s going to be an interesting election. The Dems will remain in control of the Senate. The House is going to have a narrow majority one way or the other. And everyone will see some surprises.
shrinkers:The Ras polling to which I linked directly posed the question of whether an incumbent’s vote for a Dem “accomplishment” would make the voter more or less likely to vote for the incumbent. If the respondent voter’s response is less, do you really think the voter will say they are angry because of GOP opposition to that “accomplishment?” Hell, following up with a question of GOP opposition is essentially push polling in favor of the GOP.I agree with you that some on the left are incomprehensibly pissed at the Dem Congress for not being even more socialist. However, I doubt that makes the disgruntled more likely to vote for their Dem incumbent. Probably the opposite. That is why NPR and other Dem media are dutifully reminding the left of the Dem government’s “accomplishments.”
The GOP ran things from 1994 – 2006, twelve years…Things were pretty damn good during those 12 years.
@GROG,Please provide quantitative data to indicate things were “pretty damn good” during those 12 years. All indications I find show a negative trajectory (e.g. real wages, education, quality of life, indebtedness) in both absolute and relative terms.
None of them agree on what should be repaired first, or what color torepaint. And they won’t help to pay the bills either, forcing you to borrowthe money — and then they complain that you’re putting them all furtherinto debt.What a great analogy.Furthermore, these same people who obstruct your every attempt to repair the house… they go around town telling everybody you really shouldn’t be allowed to own a house because you won’t take care of it properly.Welcome to the brave new world of the Teapers… “Upisdownistan.”
“Please provide quantitative data to indicate things were “pretty damn good” during those 12 years.”I take it you don’t buy into the left-wing meme of Clinton’s wildly successful presidency that had the country on the “right track.”
Not so much, economic bubbles, indebtedness, and corporate rule… IMO, things got bad at a slower rate…
Bartles, re: your ad nauseam whining, moaning/groaning hyperbole.Cry me a River!hmm, what makes you cry the most:a) An African/American easily elected the 44th President of the United States of America! 🙂 w/(((69.5 million))) votes!btw, cheney/bush got 50.5 million (47.9%) in 2000.b) Hillary Rodham Clinton as Secretary of State. B)c) A rational, intelligent, totally qualified female Latino, Sonia Sotomayor, on the U.S. Supreme Court.d) A rational, intelligent, totally qualified ~ fourth female justice, and eighth Jewish justice, Elena Kagan, on the U.S. Supreme Court.e) All of the above …Just wonderin’
Mule Rider wrote:I take it you don’t buy into the left-wing meme of Clinton’s wildly successful presidency that had the country on the “right track.”I’m a happily liberal (or “left-wing”, if you will) American, and I don’t believe the Clinton years were all that great.Clinton was unable to reform health care, and all we were left with in the attempt was a fairly lousy and intrusive law (The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA). God knows how many person-hours have been wasted in HIPAA compliance to no good end.Because of President Clinton’s manifest and manifold personal flaws, an opening was created for a new type of partisan bickering from which the country has yet to recover. Impeaching a President for lying under oath about his sexual relations has got to be a new low, particularly when the persons pushing impeachment were proven adulterers and philanderers themselves. Pot, kettle, etc.I guess if I were to trace the origins of this country’s malaise, I would say it goes back to the 1950s and 1960s. We set the country on the right course regarding civil rights. At the same time, we did not learn lessons from the interventions in Vietnam and Chile and the Dominican Republic and (to our eternal regret) Iran, just to name a few.We created the Great Society, a wonderful idea in concept but which in execution just became more of the “something-for-nothing” attitude that began to pervade our institutions.We poo-poo’ed President Carter’s warnings about our energy future and ridiculed him for wearing a sweater.We celebrated and deified a President who promoted a style of economics which his opponent called “Voodoo Economics” and then adopted 8 years later. The last 50 years have had a constant theme of “if it feels good, do it” and “greed is good” whether economically, or sexually, or even nutritionally.Now it is time to pay the piper, or slouch toward Bethlehem and get off the world stage and let the Chinese take the 21st century.Obviously, I would much prefer paying the piper, but I fear we will not do that and then we as a nation get what we deserve.
@filistroFurthermore, these same people who obstruct your every attempt to repair the house… they go around town telling everybody you really shouldn’t be allowed to own a house because you won’t take care of it properly.Yes, you have the feel of it. Not to push the analogy too far, but one of them is upset that his priorities didn’t get accomplished first, and another one insists the house should be allowed to repair itself.Welcome to the brave new world of the Teapers… “Upisdownistan.”I always find it humorous that Republicans keep running for office on the platform that government is bad and shouldn’t be allowed to actually do anything. Why, then, do they want to be elected to government? And once they’re in power, they do their best to run things as incompetently as possible, just to prove government doesn’t work. It’s like college students wanting to rent a house — college students who insist that college students are too irresponsible to be allowed to rent a house. And then to prove it, as soon as they sign the lease, they start burning the carpets and smashing the windows and tearing up the furniture.And then they demand to be given another chance. Without having changed their position that they shouldn’t actually be allowed to do what they’re demanding they be allowed to do.For the love of God, why do we allow these people into our house?
More minutia …CBS News’ 2010 National House Model: What Does the National House Vote Mean?Before an election, the “generic” national House preference is often used to indicate how the battle for Congress is going. We see this reported in national polls all the time.But the House isn’t decided by a national vote, of course – it’s 435 separate elections – and that generic vote number leaves us wondering what it specifically means for seats won or lost. So how can we translate the national House vote into prospects for House control?This CBS News 2010 National House Model offers some guidance.It is a mathematical simulation of how possible national vote outcomes could affect all 435 seats — based on a CBS News Election team analysis of historical voting patterns, the past and present characteristics of 435 districts, and the current competitiveness level of all districts in 2010.Note that this is not a poll…. nor is it a prediction; it’s a guide to understanding what the national numbers you see might really mean in today’s context. Importantly, this is a national model that cannot say which individual districts will flip or not – and it isn’t designed to do that. It’s about how many. Nor are we predicting any outcomes for a party at this point. We’ll have to wait for election night for that, when the real votes are counted.A complete description follows, but first, the results: * As of today, a national two-party vote of 52 percent or more Republican indicates the GOP would probably win enough seats to take control of the House on Election Day. * But in this environment with so many competitive and tossup districts, very small changes in national vote are equated with meaningful shifts in the possibilities for House control.With 52 percent of the two-party national vote, the model shows that Republicans could end up with 226 seats (they need 218 for a majority) and most likely get something in the range of 215 and 237 seats. ~~~~~If if’s and but’s were candy and nuts, we’d all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year … except Bartles
Shiloh:The GOP is probably looking at something in the range of a 55% to 57% House vote right now. The Dem media congressional generics are all joining or passing Ras this week with a GOP+9 to +10 in the LV congressional generic. If you want to be profoundly depressed as a Dem, go check out the past week’s polls at RCP.com. Pew they range from GOP+7 to +17.This is what a center-right election thinks about Dem “accomplishments” over the past 2 years. Any Dem not polling above 50% by now will likely be washed out to sea by the tsunami.
@BartlesIf you want to be profoundly depressed as a Dem~~~~~Again, I’m a liberal Indy and having voted for McGovern in ’72 am quite used to being in the minority, so no Bartles, will not be depressed regardless as I understand the yin and yang of politics quite well.Your hyperbole notwithstanding, will not be in the fetal postion like you were after Obama’s historic election. btw, Obama is still president for another 2+ er 6+ years as (((if))) the Reps take the House, his chances of being re-elected increase exponentially, eh. :)But thanx for comin’ out of hiding 😉 to pounce on my post … shocking!Bart, you’re like a little kid just before Christmas lol.take care, blessings
“government is bad and shouldn’t be allowed to actually do anything”If you weren’t so hellbent on arguing strawmen, this would be so much easier. The argument isn’t that government is “bad” and should be completely neutered, it’s that it’s too big and shouldn’t be allowed to do too much.
Muley,It would be easier also if you would address the person to whom your comment is directed so we could see what the heck you are talking about.I’d ask you to specify exactly in what way government is too big, and what it should legitimately be allowed to do, but I strongly suspect this would just draw another reply like “I haven’t thought about that in detail”.
@shortchain,I don’t suspect it as strongly as you do. Mule’s been pretty articulate the past couple of days (enough that I’m beginning to wonder which aliens abducted him B)). While I don’t think he’s ready to produce a national budget proposal down to the line item, I doubt he’ll have much trouble listing the roles he believes legitimately belong to government.
Realist,The reason I commented was that I had just read his comment on the “poll me now” thread where, after a fairly extensive back and forth, he was asked what, specifically, he thought should be done, to which the response was … he hadn’t thought about it in detail.In this modern world of ours, there are damned few simple solutions. The devil is in the details, and the details pervade the solution space.
According to some here, the easiest solution would be to invent a time machine, then regress in time and kill all the a) liberalsb) conservativesI would summarily reject any solutions that arise from “what should be” (status imagus?) and only consider solutions that arise from the status quo.For example, a discussion of “President Obama should have ended the war by now” must include a plan for withdrawing 200,000 US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan in the space of 21 months without causing catastrophe.
@shortchain,I knew the reference you were making, and it seemed to me to be unwarranted. Most people focus on the pension-like aspect of Social Security when they are talking about the solvency of the program. It should hardly be a surprise that he was doing the same thing.In this modern world of ours, there are damned few simple solutions. The devil is in the details, and the details pervade the solution space.Of course. And this is why campaigning by sound bite is so hazardous to the future of this country. It’s also why it’s easy to snipe at the TARP, the stimulus, and health care reform, even though all three helped their intended causes.
I’m interested in what everyone thinks about NPR’s disgraceful act of firing Juan Williams for his remarks on Bill O’Reilley’s show on Tuesday. Williams said he worries when he sees people in “Muslim garb” on an airplane. Apparently, one in America can no longer discuss a fear he has. Williams did not say he was proud of being worried about Muslims on an airplane, or that others should be worried, or that he doesn’t think Muslims are equal. He divulged an emotion he has on an airplane and he got fired for it. The same fear that 99% of Americans have when they board an airplane. What is happening in this country? One of the first acts of the new Congress should be to stop the federal funding of NPR. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/22/business/media/22williams.html?src=busln
@GROG,NPR’s disgraceful actWell, now, that’s a mighty loaded question, isn’t it?Williams said he worries when he sees people in “Muslim garb” on an airplane.Yep. And many people do.He divulged an emotion he has on an airplane and he got fired for it.People get fired all the time for making public statements. It’s part of what happens when your job involves public speaking. Juan Williams isn’t employed by the government, so he, like anyone, can be fired for making public statements that his employer doesn’t like.One of the first acts of the new Congress should be to stop the federal funding of NPR.So this action by NPR changed you from an enthusiastic supporter? Or am I correct that you also felt last month that federal funding of NPR should be stopped immediately?
Realist, am I to assume that you agree with NPR’s stance against Williams speaking about what he feels?
@grogThe same fear that 99% of Americans have~~~~~hmm, more hyperbole/generalizations …It’s damn nice 538 empathetic 🙂 liberals still play w/you, eh. ;)btw, 4 out 5 dentists prefer Crest toothpaste.take care, blessings
GROG,I object to anyone being fired for a single stupid comment. So I object to Juan Williams being fired for that reason just the same as I did for Nasr, Thomas, Sanchez, etc, etc.I personally think Juan Williams was a complete waste of time. I’ve never heard him go deeper than a micron into anything. Shallow, lacking in insight, and utterly unable to analyze even the simplest political or social situations.In short, he belonged on Fox News, not NPR. They should have fired him for moonlighting on Fox, not for bigotry.
@shortchainre: WilliamsDon’t mince/candy coat your words lolIn Williams defense 😉 one could say the same about 80/90% of political pundits on cable news, right wing radio, etc.Once in a blue moon pundits say something intuitive/intelligent …Just sayin’
This is probably as good a place as any for me to report that Canada’s most conservative city has just elected Canada’s first Muslim mayor. It’s a new (and much better!) world. Cavemen and dinosaurs better get with the program… or face extinction.
So shortchain, you think it was a bigoted comment? Are you saying that when you see Muslims dressed in Muslim garb on an airplane, you feel absolutely no anxiety whatsoever?
shortchain said:I personally think Juan Williams was a complete waste of time. I’ve never heard him go deeper than a micron into anything. Shallow, lacking in insight, and utterly unable to analyze even the simplest political or social situations.He’s intelligent, articulate, insightful, and from what those close to him say, caring and kind. And oh yeah, he’s a liberal. Is it you who’s the bigot?
fili,I know you’ll be honest. Have you ever felt anxiety when you see Muslims on an airplane?
I live in a heavily Jewish congressional district. Six years ago, we elected America’s first Muslim Congressperson. He was sworn in on Thomas Jefferson’s copy of the Koran.He was re-elected two years ago. He will easily be reelected again two weeks from now.The demonizing of Muslims is offensive and stupid. It’s being used to help gin up fear, for cynical and shallow political ends. It’s past time to marginalize the bigots who continue to spread this fear.
Shrinkers, I’ll ask you for an honest answer as well.Have you ever felt any anxiety after seeing Muslims dressed in Muslim garb on an airplane?
… and note, my comment has no reference to Juan Williams. I know nothing about the incident, and I knew even less about Williams himself. I have no opinion on his being fired by NPR.But GROG, Realist asked a direct question that you have ignored. Let me repeat it:”So this action by NPR changed you from an enthusiastic supporter? Or am I correct that you also felt last month that federal funding of NPR should be stopped immediately?”
@GROG… I know you’ll be honest. Have you ever felt anxiety when you see Muslims on an airplane?No. My dentist, my next-door neighbor, my granddaughter’s piano teacher and a guy in my bowling league are all Muslims.They’re lovely people. I suppose they might all for some reason become really scary when they board airplanes, but I can’t imagine why when they’re kind, smart, sweet and funny down here on terra firma.
I’ve always thought NPR was a partisan, leftwing organization and I don’t think taxpayer money should help fund it. This latest incident has done nothing but solidify that opinion. If he didn’t work for Fox, he never would have been fired. It sickens me that he has been discriminated against in this manner and that my taxes go to help fund it.
grog, Bachmann is kind and caring also, having provided foster care for 23 children, but she’s still 100% bat shit crazy! re: politics.Williams is a token African/American on fixednoise, much like Michael Steele is a token RNC Chairman.Again, in Williams defense, he’s not anymore uninformed/partisan than Monica Crowley, Laura Ingraham, Malkin, Van Susteren etc.He’s an employee of fixed so he knows where his bread is buttered, consequently, like Billo/Hannity he tries out over the top rhetoric on ocassion and it backfired.Kinda ironic Williams being an African/American and America’s dreadful past w/racism and the current 24/7 conservative degradation of Barack Hussein Obama and he of all people makes a generalization regarding another minority in America.As DWB, driving while black is still a law enforcement problem in America.Rachel just mentioned Williams was given a new (3) year contract w/fixed increasing his salary by $2 million … did I mention Williams knows where his bread his buttered!take care
Shrinkers, I’ll ask you for an honest answer as well.Have you ever felt any anxiety after seeing Muslims dressed in Muslim garb on an airplane?To be honest, I have flown only a couple of times since 9/11. There was no one in “Muslim garb” (I assume you mean “Middle Eastern garb”) on that particular plane. There were people with Middle Eastern garb in the airport, however. I felt no anxiety about that at all.I have lived around people of various ethnicities all my life. Non-western-standard garb, and non-European peoples are no big deal to me. In fact, I rather enjoy the mix of ideas and attitudes and experiences and viewpoints.
GROG,No, I don’t feel uncomfortable in the presence of muslims, garbed in whatever fashion — I’ve dined in their homes, worked with them, had them as students. At least, no more uncomfortable than in the presence of any other group of people, although I once wandered into a meeting of the campus Young Republicans — that was creepy.I suppose from where you stand, Juan Williams might seem intelligent and insightful. Relativism …
@fili,That’s great. You’re a saint who defies a natural human fear. But it does worry Juan Williams. Does that make him a bigot? He doesn’t think we should put all Muslims in jail, or prevent them obtaining employment in the US, or stone them all to death. He hasn’t called for others to fear all Muslims on airplanes and to attack them. He expressed an honest human emotion. Is he a bad person for having that human emotion? So much that he should have been fired?
@filistroThey’re lovely people. My experience as well. I have a story to tell in brief.I volunteered for several years as a chaplain in the state prison system here in Minnesota. I’m a member of a minority religion, and I’m an ordained minister, which is how I got the gig.One year, the paid chaplain at one of the prisons had a sort of dinner party where all the volunteers could meet each other. One of the more conservative Christian ministers backed me into a corner, and wanted to really rag on me for spreading false religion. One of the volunteers there was a respected imam. He placed himself between us, and said to the Christian, “I disagree with this man as well” (pointing to me), “but he has the right to be wrong. And neither you nor I have any power or authority or right to even attempt to change his mind.”And then I went off with the imam, and we had an absolutely delightful theological conversation. Disagreeing all the time, and enjoying every minute of it.Take whatever message from that you wish 🙂
GROG,I fly frequently for my business, most recently in and out of Detroit, and I do not feel anxiety when I see Muslims on the plane with me. Nor do I feel anxious about anyone else wearing “traditional” garb of their culture. Honestly, the “Arab-looking men” in a prayer circle before the flight are more likely NOT to be terrorists, because terrorists would be trying to blend in and look nondescript. They would avoid doing anything that might draw attention.
Nate was just on Rachel’s show. He seems to be trying to change his stuffy image 😉 as he has dressed rather casual. And his hair, though still an eye sore, is a work in progress lol.carry on
GROGFrom the article you linked:”After dismissing Mr. Williams, one of its senior news analysts, NPR argued that he had violated the corporation’s belief in impartiality, a core tenet of modern American journalism.”NPR has high standards of impartiality. Williams, according to NPR’s view, violated those standards. Williams was, undoubtedly, aware of those standards and chose to violate them anyway. Everyday in America, people are fired for far less.Particularly since NPR receives federal funds, I approve of their attempt to enforce high standards of professionalism and objectivity.
Rachel just mentioned Lawrence O’Donnell is gonna have a team of experts on his show tonight who will (((try))) to show/explain how America can balance its budget.O’Donnell asked me to expound also, but was too busy educating grog re: hyperbole/generalizations/deflections …
@GROG,Realist, am I to assume that you agree with NPR’s stance against Williams speaking about what he feels?Yes, insofar as they had a published company policy that he violated. He was representing his employer in that interview.As a general rule, I don’t like company policies of that sort, but in this case there was no way for him to speak out without tacitly having the association with his employer.
Nate on Rachel hmm, let me rephrase, Nate appearing on Rachel’s show …>Nate and Harpo Marx separated at birth ~ You decide …
@shiloh,Nate and Harpo Marx separated at birth ~ You decide …You calling Nate a Marxist???
Realist, if Marxist are allowed to make a lot of $$$, then yes. ;)hmm, Juan Williams also just got a big pay raise …>Interesting, Joe You Lie Wilson makes a fool of himself at a “Joint Session” and his fund raising increases exponentially … Christine O’Donnell has made a fool of herself 24/7 for the past (20) years and teabaggers are sending her mucho money ~ I digress.>btw, joint session? Is that what happens in California a couple weeks from now?What a longgg strange trip it’s been …
@GROGIt is BIGOTED for you or anyone including Juan Williams to get anxious at the sight Muslim garb. bigoted – Being a bigot; biased; strongly prejudiced; forming opinions without just causeAnd if journalists are going to be fired for saying controversial things, then that standard should damn well be applied equally. Isn’t it funny that the loudest calls to shut off NPR funding are paid for by a rival?
It appears there is some backstory to the Juan Williams firing. I wonder if Sarah Palin and the Freepers will now dial back their furious outrage on his behalf.
filistro,I think the statute of limitations might have expired on that charge.
@shortchain… I think the statute of limitations might have expired on that charge.It wouldn’t if he were a target of the right… instead of a new and unlikely ally in their “WE HATE ALL MUSLIMS AND SO SHOULD YOU” frenzy.