Some Thoughts For Your Morning

- It seems that Republicans are trying a new gimmick when it comes to cutting spending and bringing down the deficit. A new online project called YouCut is designed so that voting public can suggest what spending to cut from specific areas. Nevermind that the average American that would use such a social networking site has little to no idea what they are talking about ( most Tea Baggers want to do away with everything from the FDA to Department of Education ) but do you honestly think that Republicans are going actually act on anything that is suggested? Guess this is another example of how the GOP completely lacks any plan of their own.

- Modern day theologian Glenn Beck has apparently been having conversations with the voice in his head that he claims is Jesus. It seems that The Son Of God doesn't want Cap and Trade. I'm quite curious as to what Beck's Jesus thinks about bearing false witness to they neighbor. And where in the Constitution does it say anything about what Jesus does or does not want?

- Seems that in light of Sarah Palin's endorsement of Carly Fiorina that GOP candidates are opting out from appearing at fundraising events with her. I don't think it's too much of a far reaching statement, but the fractioning of the modern conservative movement ( and the GOP as a whole ) is more evident now than it ever has been.

- It's rather troubling when seeing poll results like this. I'm quite skeptical of any poll that makes such a broad determination regarding any piece of legislation that the public at large has been misinformed of. And while Pew Research has been a reliable polling agency for many years, I feel that the results shown indicated that many of the near 1000 that were polled don't seem to understand the far reaching implications of Arizona's fascist stance on this issue.

- I still don't get it. If S.E. Cupp is really an atheist, why did she write a book about how the "evil, liberal, media" is destroying religion? It just doens't make sense - unless it's all just a charade. Regardless of her motives, she gets taken to the woodshed by Cenk Uyger in the linked interview.

- Arizona is getting a lesson in "free market capitalism" that they likely won't forget anytime soon. The conservative mantra of "choice and competition" isn't exactly playing in their favor on this front, as the boycott of the state is showing a loss of millions is tourism dollars. Even the GOP didn't want to have their convention there.

The Enemy Of My Enemy Is My Friend

The villagers are getting restless.



For starters, Obama did not cut spending for defense. In point of fact, he increased it by 8%.

As far as the vulnerability aspect goes, there is nothing that Obama can or will do that will satisfy conservatives like this clown. There were several incidents within the Bush administration years and all that we heard from conservatives was that "he kept us safe". There has not been a successful terrorist attack on this country since Obama took office.

Predictably, many will point to the shootings at Ft. Hood as a terrorist attack, even though the claims that Major Hassan was acting upon instructions from a cleric in Yemen, that has yet to be independently validated.

More to the point, it's this type of rhetoric that fuels militia groups and fringe elements that would be happy to see harm come to not just Barack Obama but anyone within his administration. And conservatives love militia groups.

This is a wondrous example of the paradigm that conservatives live in - that you're either "with us or against us". I distinctly remember hearing a former president that said that. They lake the ability of peripheral sight, to see anything outside the blinders of conservativism.

Think Progress has more.

Selective Editing

Conservatives are all abuzz today about Norman LaBoon.

And while they are right, that this guy is certifiable, they are ultimately framing this man and the narrative of his actions to somehow show that he's a left-wing extremist, they are missing the plot on this completely.

....LeBoon just so happens to be a Barack Obama donor. Somehow I doubt that’ll be part of any headlines.

There’s some confusion about whether the LeBoon in the videos is LeBoon “senior” or “junior” (or even whether a “Norman LeBoon Jr.” exists) and it’s not clear whether the “Norman LeBoon” of Philadelphia listed in the campaign finance disclosure database that JWF links is the same one charged by the FBI. But point about the double standards taken.

In any case, this dude seems certifiably loony and dangerous — no matter which political candidates he may or may not have supported. Glad the FBI took it seriously. Period.

Nice one Malkin, accuse him of being an Obama supporter and then follow it up by stating that it may be someone else with the same name. Typical.

Here's the part that they can't admit, as it completely blows there thesis out of the water. LeBoon made threats against Obama too.

The Alleged Concern Of Republicans

I'm with the folks over at DailyKos on this, probably a strong contender for "Quote Of The Year".



Yeah, Allegedly.

People getting dropped by their providers are only in that position because of an "alleged" action by their provider.

I don't think there's any clear indicator that the GOP are, as Anthony Weiner correctly stated, a wholly owned subsidiary of every insurance company in the country.

But this won't matter one bit to conservatives. They could care less about what happens to them. As long as their message is still active, that's all that matters.

Some Thoughts For Your Morning

- While some on the fringe Right are attempting to spin Sarah Palin's recent trip to Hong Kong to give a "speech" into conservative gold, it needs to be pointed-out that this trip was profitable to no one besides Palin. Her message, if one could even say that there was one, was simply a rehash of all the tired coloquialism and home-spun "aw shucks" nonsense that served her so well on the campaign trail last year. The only thing that needs to be said to Palin now is this.

- I have been wondering how long it was going to take some idiotic conservative prattle-head to accuse Obama of "endangering the troops" if he pushed forward with healthcare reform. Jim DeMint has further proven that his ability to be a stage prop for the far-right will not only get him airtime, but that he is willing to use the American military as a weapon for his own devices.

- I'm afraid that Chuck Morris has suffered too many blows to the head and fallen victim to the all too familiar "life after fame" aspect of being a type-cast actor. Ever since his conservative bent has been revealed, Norris has said and done some pretty ignorant things. But this one is pretty much tops.

- Why is it that conservatives, like Eric Cantor, lack the ability to even comprehend that people die from lack of or improper healthcare? Is this simply too much to ask from them?

Cantor Suckles At The Teet Of Rush

Hey, maybe I should get in touch with Darkblack so he can rig up a sweet photoshop of that one.

May 4th



Today



Next thing you know, he's going to be calling Sarah Palin the next Ronald Reagan. Sheesh.

Not So Much An Alternative

.....as it is a repackaged collection of glittering generalities and talking points.

I'm speaking of the GOP's version of the budget proposal.

The conservative blogging community is all abuzz over this, claiming that they now have some sort of moral high-ground since the GOP has stepped-up to Obama's challenge to provide and alternative.

At a thin 19 pages, you can read through this in less time than it takes to eat your lunch - and you may wish to wait to eat after you read it.

The talk started yesterday.

Jeff Emanuel at RedState:

And, last night, in a move reminiscent of his actions during the actual campaign, Obama threw down the figurative gauntlet to detractors from his $3,600,000,000,000.00 spending plan, saying “To a bunch of the critics out there, I’ve already said, show me your budget! I’m happy to have that debate.”

If this sounds familiar, it’s because he repeatedly made such bold declarations while on the campaign trail. Of course, he always made sure he was a safe distance from Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), his opponent for the office, when doing so, as he never had any intention of actually following through on his own tough-talking challenge

Then, the media started asking questions:





The GOP's "response" comes off much like a slap-dash book report from a student who hasn't even read the book. This proposal doesn't even meet the standards of Cliff-Notes.

And just like the kid who turns in a failing report, the GOP's proposal is already starting to get the failing grade.

Not because the alternative proposal is so thin and lacking in substance, but because the GOP loves to grandstand so much:

The 19-page document, prepared by Pence's office, was distributed two days after President Obama criticized Republicans for trashing his detail-crammed 142-page budget outline without producing a credible alternative.

“In his egocentric rush to get on camera, Mike Pence threw the rest of the Conference under the bus, specifically Paul Ryan, whose staff has been working night and day for weeks to develop a substantive budget plan," said a GOP aide heavily involved in budget strategy.

"I hope his camera time was gratifying enough to justify erasing the weeks of hard work by dozens of Republicans to put forth serious ideas," the person added.

"It's categorically untrue," said Pence spokesman Matt Lloyd. "Cantor as well as Ryan and the rest of the leadership have been part of this process for weeks. They not only signed off on it, but their staffs helped edit it."

More from Politico

19 pages of nonsense or 142 pages of detail after detail?

The GOP seems to be proving that they truly are the party of "no ideas".