Ice Station Tango

Begun, The 2010 Election Has

2010-07-17T12:17:00.003-05:00

The president used his weekly Youtube speech to lay out the battle lines for the 2010 election.

Here are some of the highlights:

Too often, the Republican leadership in the United States Senate chooses to filibuster our recovery and obstruct our progress. And that has very real consequences.

[...]

Think about what these stalling tactics mean for the millions of Americans who've lost their jobs since the recession began. Over the past several weeks, more than two million of them have seen their unemployment insurance expire.

[...]

So after years of championing policies that turned a record surplus into a massive deficit, including a tax cut for the wealthiest Americans, they've finally decided to make their stand on the backs of the unemployed. They've got no problem spending money on tax breaks for folks at the top who don't need them and didn't even ask for them; but they object to helping folks laid off in this recession who really do need help.

BP Oil Gusher Finally Capped

2010-07-15T15:20:00.005-05:00

Word on the street is that the oil spill has finally been capped. While that doesn't change the fact that this is still a complete disaster, it's quite a relief to know that the eruption is over, at least for now.

Meanwhile, Anderson Cooper reported last night on the blackout the media is facing in spill zones. This is Bush Administration-style bullshit that the White House has to remedy directly.

Frustrated Ratigan Boots Stonewalling Congressman

2010-07-15T13:30:00.005-05:00

This clip is the epitome of what's wrong with cable news. While I agree with Dylan Ratigan, his righteous anger at a Republican member of Congress does nothing for the vast majority of people who don't understand the issues. It sounds just like Fox News does most of the time. I can't help but think that Ratigan would have been far more effective if he would not have been emoting like Mel Gibson the entire time. Kicking a stonewalling, talking points-spewing mouthpiece for corporate crooks off the show is a brilliant idea. But do it calmly and deliberately and it would mean so much more.

UPDATE: You know what? I take it back. Go ahead, Dylan, yell your head off, buddy. These guys are graverobbers.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Sudanese President Charged with Genocide

2010-07-12T11:45:00.003-05:00

Today, for the first time in history, the International Criminal Court issued charges of genocide. The charges, three counts of genocide, were levied against Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir after years of mayhem and mass slaughter in the country's Darfur region left approximately 300,000 people dead and another 2.7 million displaced.

How the court's authority will be enforced remains to be seen. In 2009, Al-Bashir was charged with a slate of seven war crimes for atrocities in Darfur, and all that's happened to him was re-elected to a new five-year term. He does not accept the court's authority and has no plans to turn himself in.

The blog Afrospear looks at a list of "stinking dictators the world over".

The Obama Administration You Do Not See on TV

2010-07-08T14:55:00.008-05:00

The President spoke today at a company in Kansas City called Smith Electric Vehicles. It's small, innovative companies like this that the administration has been consistently supporting that is keeping the economy from totally collapsing. People may have a hard time seeing this through the media distortion, but what Obama is talking about in this clip is his quite legacy. If congress changes hands or if he is not re-elected, this long-term foundation for a real recovery is going to go to waste.

On a completely different note: YouTube users who do not allow their videos to be embedded really grind my gears.

UPDATE: Here's more on the White House's innovation initiative. Why they aren't saturating the media with this kind of thing I have no idea.

Economic Downturn, A Marxist Perspective

2010-07-05T13:25:00.000-05:00

Sociologist David Harvey recently explained the current economic meltdown from a Marxist perspective at London's Royal Society for the Arts (h/t Cory Doctorow). This clip includes animation from Cognitive Media.

Meet the Utilities Nazi

2010-07-02T13:33:00.003-05:00

When Arizona passed their "papers" law, I guess I thought of that as the end point of the crazy.

Not even close.

At least, if Republican Barry Wong has his way. Wong is running for a spot on the Arizona Corporation Commission, which is an elected body that decides public utility issues. He wants to force utilities to verify their customers' citizenship status and, if you don't have your papers--no cable or electricity for you!

I Knew It! Also, Siegelman Appeal Gets New Life

2010-06-29T13:30:00.005-05:00

The Government Accountability Office has found seven instances of improper burrowing by the Bush Administration! Finally, we nailed those assholes. I knew they were burrowing all along!

Okay, I have no idea what burrowing is, but I'll take it. At this point, I'm going to find out what this whole burrowing thing is all about, but clearly, whatever it is, I'm sure no one is the least bit worried about going to jail.

TPM's Justin Elliott describes the practice thus:

...political appointees shifting to career civil servant positions in a given agency...

So the administration expires after eight years, but the ideology lives on through the actions of the burrowers. Guess where the majority of this took place. C'mon, guess.

Yeah, it's the former home of Monica Goodling, the Justice Department. I'm sure there's no connection.

Speaking of the Bush Justice Dept., Don Siegelman will get another shot at his appeal thanks to the Supreme Court's ruling in the case of U.S. vs. Skilling. This is good news for the former Alabama governor who's conviction stank badly, but it's still not over.

You Knew it was Bad, But This Guy Documented the Experience

2010-06-28T20:36:00.001-05:00

CBSNews.com's Shira Lazar talks to Josh Fox, the director of the devastating documentary Gasland that is currently running on HBO.

Book Review--David Derrico's The Twiller

2010-06-28T19:15:00.001-05:00

I'm proud to recommend my friend David Derrico's new novel, The Twiller. My Amazon review for the book is here. I love this book and have very high hopes that it will do well. If you would rather hear a review from someone who is not good friends with the author, check out I Love My Kindle blogger bufocalvin's extensive review.

Ron Blackwell Knows an Asshole When He Sees One

2010-06-26T13:02:00.004-05:00

AFL-CIO economist Ron Blackwell went on Fox News to be completely rolled by Cavuto, only, Blackwell didn't get the memo. When Cavuto asks him if he got his degree at a bakery, Blackwell gets back to the basics and reminds Cavuts that he is indeed an asshole.

Tucker Gets a Bit Mopey

2010-06-24T02:52:00.005-05:00

Tucker went on Washinton Journal, because there simply must not have been anyone else awake, and he let us know that he thinks that things are more off-track than at any time in his "conscious lifetime".

Hold on a second while I cash in on this set up in all caps just for the hell of it

--THAT'S NOT A VERY LARGE SAMPLE SIZE!

POW!

So, what should we do? Tucker, who is bummed out in this clip, says we're gonna have to cut into social security and medicare.

Cenk Uygur, replies.

Stewart is Ideal Obama Antagonist

2010-06-23T15:50:00.003-05:00

Matt Zoller Seitz piece on Jon Stewart's recent run of what Seitz calls "Obama Bashing" is a skewed characterization of a really exciting phenomenon. If Jon Stewart's sustained criticism of the White House (far from "bashing", a lazy term which is really out of place here) manages to become the focal point of our national discourse, rather than, say, Fox News or Rush Limbaugh vs. the White House, than we may have a shot at something resembling a national comeback. Or, at least readily available, coherent political analysis. The White House wants Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin to be their foils, because they are easily beaten. Stewart's criticism is much more realistic, and actually might serve as a means of focusing the White House, once the shelf life of Stewart's ideas clear the administrative lag time.

Drug Test Congress First

2010-06-22T11:35:00.004-05:00

Orrin Hatch wants to drug test the unemployed. To his credit he would not object to drug testing Congress. If this bullshit goes through, we have got to hold him to that at least, then watch as the dominoes fall. I have no doubt that at least as much of Congress that found their way to the DC Madam have found their way to the Beltway Connection.

Here's Marc Maron on the concept of drug testing in general:

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Marc Maron - Drug Testing

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Old Blackwater, Keeps on Rollin'

2010-06-21T13:20:00.004-05:00

Somehow, the company formerly known as Blackwater, your favorite merciless post-apocalyptic corporate army employed by the Bush administration, have emerged from their makeover with a new brand name, Xe, and a new contract from the Obama administration. The State Department awarded the contract, which calls for "Xe" to protect diplomats in Iraq. So, they will have the guns again. But, will they still have their signature icy disregard for human life?

We'll just have to hope for the best.

Also, massacre? I don't have got no idea what you're talking about.

UPDATE: WaPo's Jeff Stein has a source that claims the new version of Blackwater has changed and can be trusted. The company is still at least nominally run by Erik Prince, which I would figure would be a deal breaker, but here we are. These guys better not fuck up.

Biden Giulianifies Barton

2010-06-18T20:53:00.004-05:00

The vice president dismantles Congressman Joe Barton for his Harry Whittington-esque apology to BP. Shades of this 2007 thrashing Biden gave a certain alleged national security expert.

I Can't Believe it Myself

2010-06-17T18:01:00.003-05:00

A few days ago, the president managed to get BP to set aside $20 billion for victims of the oil spill. This is something our media is not equipped to properly contextualize. It's the fact that this is completely outside the power of the Presidency that makes it such an amazing accomplishment. Guys like Joe Barton call it a shakedown. I orignally thought of it as more of a Jedi mind trick, but TPM reader DB described it best as an act of leadership.

He wrote:

It reminds me a little of something that happened during the Hurrican Rita evacuation. It was going to slowly and endangering the evacuees. Houston Mayor Bill White got on the phone to the Texas Department of Highways. He said, "make all the lanes of I.H. 45 one way north for the first hundred miles from the coast--the southbound traffic can find another route." He had no power to order that. But the officials just complied. He acted like a man in charge.

Unless the fund is handled poorly, and it looks like the administration has farmed this out to a competent, experienced individual, this has to go down as one of the great presidential accomplishments of this relatively major presidential accomplishment-free century.

Lightning Round--This Brings All New Meaning to the Term Lightning Round Edition

2010-06-15T13:10:00.007-05:00

Rising Hegemon: Big Butter Jesus is toast. The $250,000 yellow statue of Jesus at this riverfront church in Ohio burned to the ground after being struck by lightning. Attaturk handles the irony overdose far better than I could. BBJ and I go way back, to this post. Keep your eyes peeled, people of Ohio, He may yet rise again.

Ragebot!: Kvatch has sent Ragebot! to the dead blog office. Farewell, Ragebot! Hopefully Kvatch returns with a brand new invention sooner than later.

A Tiny Revolution: The Supreme Court rejected the a case brought on behalf of Canadian extraordinary rendition survivor Maher Arar by the Center for Constitutional Rights against the U.S. officials that sent him to Syria to be tortured. Now it's time to do something about it.

Low Budget FM: Co-host Mike Cioffi is a creative, talented guy. He's also working on a project that may change the face of American culture inexorably.

Professor Richard D. Wolf: A New School economist offers a crash course in Marxism in four roughly two-hour lectures. His website offers up plenty of other resources as well.

Go Alvin Greene!

2010-06-15T11:35:00.005-05:00

As Jon Stewart points out in this clip, any Democrat nominated for Senate in South Carolina is going down anyway, so this isn't exactly the crime of the century. What it is, is a huge embarrassment for the Democratic Party, who should have been all over this. There is no excuse for nominating this complete jackass.

Having said all that, it is imperative that we elect this jackass to the Senate because he's way better for America than Jim DeMint.

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Alvin Greene Wins South Carolina Primary

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Congressman Snaps after Bush League Psyche-Out

2010-06-14T17:23:00.007-05:00

I think you may have seen Congressman Etherigde snap by now, but if not, here's that:

Sad day for DNC spokesman Brad Woodhouse who had to addressed the video in statement form.

Motives matter, and I think you can see who was behind this. This was a Republican party tracking operation. If it wasn't a party tracker or intern, why is the face blurred and why is the source hidden? You know if it had been a right wing blog, they'd identify themselves and they'd be booking this person on TV all day. Republicans know if they admit their involvement in this game of gotcha it will undermine their credibility. One minute this guy is interviewing a member of Congress on camera and the next a video is released with his face blurred out? If that doesn't tell you this is a Republican Party hatchet job nothing will.

I don't care if it was Karl Rove's grandmamma stalking this dude, that reaction is completely unacceptable. You can't horsecollar a guy in the NFL, you sure can't do it on the street. Rep. Etheridge should probably resign, but if he decides to let the voters fire him instead, then I say this--he's not worse than David Vitter and that guy never resigned.

UPDATE: TPM points out that the people behind the video have a pretty clear record of selective editing. That had not occurred to me, dude.

The Other Barbara Bush Shows Up on TV

2010-06-13T23:55:00.003-05:00

Chris Wallace put together this short feature on one half of the Bush twins.

Two things I really liked in that. One, she doesn't plan to run for office. Two, she said she was glad that health care reform passed.

As long as part one holds true, then we're all good.

Before There Was a Massive Oil Volcano in the Middle of the Ocean...

2010-06-12T17:42:00.003-05:00

...there was an editorial published June 19, 2008, by the Telegraph's Alex Singleton titled, "George Bush is right on offshore drilling."

Let's see how he did.

There are indeed legitimate environmental concerns about drilling, but there are also economic concerns about high energy prices and the reliance on oil imported from temperamental sources. Harnessing US oil resources, just as Britain has harnessed North Sea oil, is increasingly necessary.

Technological progress will eventually break the link between energy use and carbon emissions, but it is impractical in the near future to rely purely on renewable sources. Wind energy, for example, can be an important part of a country’s energy mix, but it is on its own unable to guarantee a consistent supply of power.

It's not the vitriolic Glen Beck-style comical slapstick of the right that we've come to expect. But there's nothing reasonable about it. Not now and not then. This idea that we should keep chasing oil deeper and deeper into the sea, knowing full well the potential for damage to environment, while we wait for technology to solve the problem for us is like a fat person waiting around for pills that give you better abs than Jesus. It'll be a long wait while things keep getting worse.

Did Colin Powell Prevent Cold War with China?

2010-06-11T12:05:00.006-05:00

According to his former aide, he most certainly did.

The entire four part interview is here.

Colbert Demands Obama Release His Rap Records

2010-06-09T12:34:00.002-05:00

Where were you in the summer of '93, President Obama?

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Was Bill Clinton Once a Lesbian Orgy Magnet?

2010-06-08T10:25:00.004-05:00

Okay, Bubba, it's time to come clean. Did you, or, did you not use your handsome face to attract beautiful and charming young women to parties, where they would then be persuaded to partake in lesbian orgies? You must respond to this poorly sourced, decades old accusation, leveled at you by a notorious drunk who is selling this story as part of his new book.

We will impeach you again, even if it means reversing the 23rd amendment and re-electing you in 2012 to do it.

Also, don't skimp on the details about those parties.