We interrupt this hot, girl-on-girl action for a special announcement

I hate to interrupt all this talk about flaunting, graphic, hot girl-on-girl action -- boy you sure can see how just standing there, being a lesbian, can really be IN YOUR FACE -- but I was wondering if we could help the state of Kentucky decide on a state "brand."

You see, Kentucky, which voted 60-40 for Bush and 75-25 to ban gay marriage thinks it has an image problem. But it has a lot to be proud of. Number one in smokers, number one in cancer deaths. Almost in the top two-thirds of states in high school graduation. It's almost out of the top five fattest states.

And don't forget they actually convicted the guys in the cross burning case a couple months back -- in federal court, where the sentence actually means something. You see, cross burning is only a misdemeanor under Kentucky state law.

So, any thoughts on a new brand?
Read the rest of this post...

So, what's up with Krauthammer?

Today, Charles Krauthammer had a really counterintuitive column about what he called the "Moral Values Myth." John and I were mulling this over today. Seems like there might be trouble brewing in conservative paradise. Krauthammer is one of the right wing loudest (and crankiest) voices. He has a huge megaphone with his Washington Post column.

Basically, he seems to be trying to distance the Republican Party from the right-wing religious zealots. He is certainly not giving the kudos to the Falwell, Robertson, Dobson wing of the party. Krauthammer somehow tries to blame Democrats and the media for giving the zealots all the credit for the elections, but it rings hollow. True, Democratic pundits and consultants are giving the religious fanatics too much credit for what happened on November 2nd. But, the Right wing fanatics are taking credit for themselves...and asserting their role as leaders of the GOP. They don't need anyone else's help.

Krauthammer deconstructs the exit polls and proves the gay marriage amendments weren't the deciding factors in the 11 states where they passed. He does more to aid the gay cause than anyone else has yet.

George Bush increased his vote in 2004 over 2000 by an average of 3.1 percent nationwide. In Ohio the increase was 1 percent -- less than a third of the national average. In the 11 states in which the gay marriage referendums were held, Bush increased his vote by less than he did in the 39 states that did not have the referendum. The great anti-gay surge was pure fiction.

So the question we have is what is Krauthammer so worried about? Clearly, warning bells are going off in GOP circles about the new perceived power of the right wing religious zealots. This could be fun to watch.

Krauthammer's conclusion has it backwards:

This does not deter the myth of the Bigoted Christian Redneck from dominating the thinking of liberals and infecting the blue-state media. They need heir moral superiority like oxygen, and they cannot have it cut off by mere facts. Once again they angrily claim the moral high ground, while standing in the ruins
of yet another humiliating electoral defeat.

After reading his column, seems to us it's not the liberals and the blue-state media who fear the "Bigoted Christian Redneck". It's the Krauthammers, the conservatives and the White House. Read the rest of this post...

Religious right BLASTS Mary Cheney's "flaunting" of her homosexuality

Oh yeah. Let the meltdown begin. It was only a matter of time before the religious right took on the First Dyke (or second dyke?) I sincerely hope we're going to hear loud and public outrage from the White House and the Cheney family about this outrageous, mean-spirited, willing-to-do-anything attack on their tender young daughter.

Couldn't have happened to a nicer girl.

From the religious right propaganda organ AgapePress:

...A Virginia pro-family advocate says the people who helped re-elect President Bush don't support homosexual relationships -- the administration apparently does. Joe Glover, president of the Family Policy Network, has worked tirelessly for family values, including the fight against legalized homosexual "marriage." He says it was conservative Christians who put the president back in office and who held to the belief that the president shared their views. But Glover says the day after the election, that all seemed to go out the window. "The day after George Bush was elected president again, because of this morals revolution taking place in our country, he allows his vice president to not only put his lesbian daughter on the platform, but to bring her lesbian 'partner' up on the stage with him," Glover says. "It almost seems to be a slap in the face from the get-go against the very conservatives that re-elected the president at a time when he ought to paying them some homage and respect." Glover says the Cheney daughter's open flaunting of her homosexuality is the antithesis of what the administration claims to stand for -- and that the post-election display sends a mixed message to Bush supporters.

I guess girl-date wasn't part of the mandate. Read the rest of this post...

See what happens when you're nice to Republicans?

The day after the Dems signal quite clearly that they're going to confirm Gonzales as the next Attorney General, in spite of the fact that Gonzales authored the memo saying the US could ignore the Geneva Conventions, what happens? Does the GOP show kindness in return? Do they show a new willingness to cooperate with the Dems?

No.

The GOP turns around and the blasts the Dems for - what? For holding up Bush's nominees! Yes, the Republicans are talking about court nominees and not cabinet nominees, but the larger issue at stake is the right to filibuster, and that applies to ALL nominees.

So what's the lesson we learned here today? Place nice with the Republicans and they screw you. Play mean with the Republicans and they screw you. So tell me again why the Dems think playing nice is earning them any chits? Read the rest of this post...

$40k raised already of $113k needed for OH recount

Raw Story has the story. Read the rest of this post...

Religious right tells US soldiers: Clean up your language or else

I smell a little civil war brewing amongst our friends in the religious right. Yesterday a number of them claimed they were NOT opposed to the airing of Saving Private Ryan on ABC to commemorate Veterans Day. Today, the American Family Association is filing a complaint against ABC for airing the film.

It's time the religious right came clean about why they have such disdain for our war veterans? First Cleland, now Kerry, now this. Perhaps we can get the Pentagon to clean up the next war so the religious right isn't embarrassed to have our kids learn about it.

Here's their letter bitching about the movie. I'll say it again. Any military folks out there who voted for Bush, this is what you voted for as well. Bush and the religious right. They're a package. First they came after us, now they're coming after you. Not so much fun after all, is it?

November 12, 2004

File an indecency complaint against ABC for 'f' word and 's' word

Dear James,

Last night (November 11), the ABC network broadcast "Saving Private
Ryan."

We believe "Saving Private Ryan" accurately depicted what happens during fierce battles between two armies. The graphic depictions of atrocious injuries, mental stress, profane language, and brutality are likely common occurrences in war.

But ABC crossed the line by airing at least 20 "f" words and 12 "s" words during prime time viewing hours!

We realize it is important for families, especially our children, to recognize the sacrifices made by our loved ones during wartime. However, airing excessively profane language during prime-time television hours is not necessary to convey that sacrifice. We believe ABC should have aired their salute to heroes without violating broadcast decency laws.

Despite the FCC finding the use of the "f" word indecent during the Golden Globe Awards last year, ABC flaunted the law by airing it at least 20 times!

The technology exists for ABC to have edited the movie's language without affecting its impact on the audience. The realities of war do not automatically give the ABC entertainment network FCC approval to air the "f" word and the "s" word on public airwaves during prime time viewing hours when children are likely to be watching.

If ABC goes unchallenged, the door is open to these words being used anytime the networks choose! They can simply say the words were used "in context" to real life and get away with it.

It is vital that we not let ABC violate the law for the sake of an emotionally charged movie. If we do, we will pay a dear price on future movies and shows broadcast by the networks.

If your local ABC station broadcast "Saving Private Ryan," please file your complaint with the FCC. If you are not sure, follow this link to find contact information for your ABC station and call or email them to find out. http://capwiz.com/afanet/dbq/media

File your complaint against ABC for broadcasting indecency now!
http://www.onemillionmoms.com/TakeAction.asp?id=175

Sincerely,

Donald E. Wildmon, Chairman
OneMillionMoms.com

Read the rest of this post...

Meet my friend Joe

I've invited my good friend Joe, who's also in DC, to join us as a guest blogger on the site. Joe is one of those big-time DC political consultants who is paid lots of money to screw over the bad guys. (Actually, he doesn't get paid nearly enough money to screw over the bad guys.) Joe is probably the only other lefty in DC who gets as ticked off as I do about the Dem's lack of backbone. And he has a cute dog too. I think you'll like him :-) Read the rest of this post...

Arianna on the "Architects of Defeat"

Arianna Huffington's latest column takes on the Washington consulting class. She really lays into the so-called Democratic brain trust. We don't have the House, we don't have the Senate and we don't have the White House but we're supposed to listen to their advice?

She lambastes the advisors to Kerry who had a myopic inside-the-beltway mindset and strategy. Her conclusion is right on target...we need fresh thinking:

As at almost every other turn, the campaign had chosen caution over boldness. Why did these highly paid professionals make such amateurish mistakes? In the end, it was the old obsession with pleasing undecided voters (who, Greenberg argued right up until the election, would break for the challenger) and an addiction to polls and focus groups, which they invariably interpreted through their Clinton-era filters. It appears that you couldn’t teach these old Beltway dogs new tricks. It’s time for some fresh political puppies.

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Green and Libertarian parties call for recount in Ohio

Interesting. They'll need over a $100,000 to do it. Perhaps we need to give them some love. Donate here or here.

Former Green presidential candidate and Eureka resident David Cobb wants a recount of votes cast in Ohio during last week's presidential election.

Ohio went to President Bush, the final state he needed to win enough electoral votes to secure re-election.

In a press release issued Wednesday, Cobb indicated that he and Michael Badnarik, this year's Libertarian presidential candidate intend to file a formal demand for a recount of the presidential ballots cast in Ohio.

"Due to widespread reports of irregularities in the Ohio voting process, we are compelled to demand a recount of the Ohio presidential vote," the two candidates said in a joint statement. "Voting is the heart of the democratic process in which we as a nation put our faith. When people stand in line for hours to exercise their right to vote, they need to know that all votes will be counted fairly and accurately."

The candidates also demanded that Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell, a Republican who chaired the Ohio Bush campaign, recuse himself from the recount process.

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Even Peru is ahead of the US on gays in the military

Shining beacon on a hill, my ass.

Peru's constitutional court has granted gays in the military the freedom to have sex, declaring that a rule which had deemed such relations illegal was unconstitutional.

The army's rule had stipulated that military personnel could not engage in sexual relations with persons of the same sex either within or outside their barracks.

But constitutional court official Samuel Abad dubbed that rule "completely discriminatory."

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Falluja a 'Big Disaster,' Aid Needed - Red Crescent

No no no. It's a "catastrophic success," not a big disaster. Read the rest of this post...

Friday AM open thread

We've seen a number of examples of a chilling of free speech in the last week. From Saving Private Ryan to "reproductive rights versus health". Thoughts? Reports of other chilling effects? Read the rest of this post...