Monthly Archives: March 2010

It’s Painful, But Rush Is Right


Posted by Omnipotent Poobah
He Told You So

WHEN HE'S RIGHT, HE'S RIGHT - Most things Limbaugh says are indefensible, but sometimes even serial liars are right. It's a pain to admit it, but this time he was.

There are fewer or bigger pompous gas bags than Rush Limbaugh. He’s top dog in the pantheon of charlatan hucksters. It’s sometimes difficult to believe he’s telling the truth even when he signs on and identifies himself as, well, Rush Limbaugh.

But, every nimrod has his day. And on this day, Rush was quoted out of context.

Responding to a specific question about where he would go for treatment if health care reform passed, he said, “I’ll just tell you this, if this passes and it’s five years from now and all that stuff gets implemented — I am leaving the country (for treatment). I’ll go to Costa Rica.”

To hear many news and commentary outlets tell it, his original quote only said, “I am leaving the country. I’ll go to Costa Rica.” Rush is pissed, as well he should be…in this specific instance.

I have no doubt that much of what he says is patently untrue or grossly exaggerated. I have no doubt he’s more incendiary than almost anyone else on the air. In fact, he frequently quotes out of context himself, leaving him looking disingenuous at best and a serial quote maker-upper at worst. But when the guy is right, he’s right . When news and commentary sink to Rush’s sub-basement level of truthiness they damage their credibility, and by extension, the credibility of anyone who has ever sighted those outlets as sources or argued for fairness on this behalf.

However, the many outrageous in-context lies he spews are no excuse for the left to pummel him when he’s caught being right.

Based on Limbaugh’s disputed quote, one enterprising group started a collection to Flush Rush down to his Costa Rican capitalist paradise – which, BTW, has honest-to-goodness government health care that is far more “socialist” than Obamacare.

In fairness, he said he would see a private doctor down south of the border too. However, he didn’t explain why he’d need to do that when Obamacare doesn’t outlaw private doctors here. He also forgoes an explanation about his ability to jet down to the Rich Coast when nearly all the people directly affected by Obamacare aren’t members of the Cuban stogie, cheese and wine crowd.

I’m all for attacking the crapulent bastard when he deserves it. I’m even in favor of the good folks over at A Ticket for Rush, if for no other reason than he’s more menace than good-faith dispenser of truth. Besides, the money goes to Planned Parenthood if Rush – not unexpectedly – decides the comforts of home outweigh the pleasures of a trip to the Land of Ecotourism.

So mea culpa Rush. Everyone can go back to ridicule now – provided you have a good, honestly-quoted reason.

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At the Tipping Point of Free Speech and Deadly Speech


Posted by Omnipotent Poobah

CULTURE CLASH OR COULTER CLASH? - Students at Ottawa University go nose-to-nose and toe-to-toe over a scheduled speech by Ann Coulter. Is Colter's dog and pony show over the edge of the free expression tipping point?

Update Even Crapweasels Get First Amendment Protection

At the outset, let me make something clear. I’ve never heard a statement from Ann Coulter, Sarah Palin, or John Yoo that I didn’t think was the planet’s biggest bucket of elephant slop. But at the convergence of this Triumvirate of Twits is an example of how our nation is close to the tipping point between deadly expression and free expression.

Ann Coulter is the doyen of the teabagger set and the most outrageous of the three. Her diatribes are an uninterrupted string of vitriol and hate specifically designed to provoke. It’s a winning situation too. She can turn out books like the Keebler elves turn out cookies and clean up.

Recently, protesters turned up to prevent her from speaking at the University of Ottawa. That should be no surprise. Mixed in amongst her usual racist, homophobic, liberal paranoia she took time to call out the entire nation of Canada a few years back. Canada has “become trouble,” in her words. “They better hope the United States doesn’t roll over one night and crush them. They’re lucky they’re allowed to be on the same continent as the United States.”

Canada?! I mean, WTF.

To the Left of Atilla the Hun Divorce Lawyer
On the other hand, Jon Yoo is professorial in comparison. He’s generally quiet, but defends actions and interprets laws in maddening ways that baffle any lawyer to the left of Attila the Hun’s divorce attorney. But, his mild-mannered appearance didn’t stop hecklers from shouting during a speech at the University of Virginia. He finished the speech, but not before several people we’re fired up enough to be carried away by the local constabulary.

Then, there’s sexy schoolmarm, Sarah. She’s leaping aboard the obstructionism bandwagon, saying, “Commonsense Conservatives and lovers of America: Don’t retreat, instead – RELOAD!”

These three are cardboard cutouts of real people. I’m confident Coulter would “hate” anyone she could make a buck from – hate being an emotion far outside her grapes to raisins repertoire.

Yoo is a mere lackey who follows orders without much thought or emotion. “John, I need a legal reason to invade Canada because Annie hates the place,” Dick Cheney might have asked. “Yessir Mr. Vice Emperor. I’ll have it by Tuesday.”

Sarah is a bubblehead. I’m sure she doesn’t mean for people to actually take guns and shoot people because that would mean fewer people on the street to pay attention to her preening – regardless of whether the attention is good or bad.

I’m a fervent believer in the First Amendment. I believe everyone – even the asshats, crapweasels, and miscreant among us – has the right to say what they want, even if I think it’s a load of hogswallop. In fact, precisely BECAUSE they have an unpopular message. The measure of a democracy is how it treats it least desirable citizens. To do less would be to invite the fringe to take become the majority.

‘Reload’ and Hand Out the Ammo
However, unrestricted freedom of expression assumes the speaker has some modicum of self-control – for example, not saying “reload” and then handing out the bullets. It assumes messages will stay generic enough to avoid overly inciting the daft to unwanted shenanigans.

I don’t think you could make an argument that any of these people’s statements is specific in of itself, but you could make a valid argument they amp up the vitriol to the point where the violently-inclined begin to think it’s safe to act out the throwaway lines off unthinking, self-aggrandizing blowhards. But, where is the line? Which statement is the tipping point between absurdist trifle and calls to action received via tin-foil hat?

I’ve still not given up on unrestricted free speech. It’s too important. However, I know that unless people try to dampen their, um, “enthusiasm”, the protests of the 60s and 70s will look like a gaggle of stoners too high to do anything other than stick daisies in gun barrels. There will be real violence, destruction, and death.

It’s a times like these that freedom becomes more than a 200-year old theory and it’s a damn shame everyone can’t be at least a little responsible for their actions.

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Waaah! We Are Not Going to Cooperate!


Posted by Omnipotent Poobah
The Repliphants Always Forget

GIVE UP! NO, YOU GIVE UP! - The Republican ideal of cooperation is to do exactly what they say, whether they win elections or not. Otherwise, don't expect help from them. It hurts their feelings when you don't genuflect.

“Waaaaah! You’re a pootiehead and I’m taking my ball and going home!”

Clearly, Republicans are in an uber-snit over health care reform and they’re spoiling for a fight through infinity and beyond (or when the Democrats leave power, whichever comes first).

As Lindsey Graham says, “The first casualty of the Democratic health care bill will be immigration reform […] that will, in my view, pretty much kill any chance of immigration reform passing the Senate this year.” In other words, he’s willing to block an issue that’s probably of more interest to Republicans than Dems – Lou Dobbs be damned.

Lindsey, if you’re looking for your nose it’s there in the gutter where it fell after cutting it off your own face.

What is This ‘Cooperation’ of Which McCain Speaks?
Famously prickly John McCain goes Lindsey one better. “There will be no cooperation [on anything] for the rest of this year. They have poisoned the well in what they’ve done and how they’ve done it.”

What’s this “cooperation” of which you speak? I must have missed it in the middle of the biggest pie fight since the Three Stooges held a bachelor party for Moe.

The Democrats, especially Obama, nearly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory with almost Bushian elan. Still, their incompetence and malfeasance is piddly in comparison to the Republiphants that always seem to forget they lost the election.

Republicans were saying no before there were even proposals on the table. Obama came into negotiations making concessions even before Congress began talking about the issue. Congress followed that up by trying to placate every crybaby who bellowed socialist without even knowing what the hell one is.

Poor Little John

WAAAAAAH! - There's nothing sader than the sight of a Republican crying because he didn't get his way.

The Party of NO and their spelling-challenged, protest sign swinging, tea-tossing kin held town halls where non-existent death panels and a host of other half-and zero-truth charges were bandied about as Limbaugh, Beck, and Hannity spewed fuel on the fire (Palin did a beauty pageant stroll in support). They refused to offer proposals of their own, claiming it wasn’t their job.

Eleventy-Billion Chances to Cooperate
Every procedural move met resistance not seen since the Tet offensive. They complained about closed-door meetings as their allegedly moderate colleagues sat in several and chewed more concessions out of Dems afraid of their own shadows. They held up debate for over a year and then complained when Dems used procedures they’ve found perfectly acceptable in the past to get the show on the road. Now, after finally losing, they vow to repeal the law and fight a guerrilla war to get it repealed.

Democrats aren’t without their blame, they stretched truths and at times needlessly angered Republicans. Moreover, you can’t say much good about Obama’s deals with Big Pharma, Big Insurance, and Big Everything. Too many Democrats demanded side deals having nothing to do with health care. And, Dems showed their jellyfish DNA long after they should have called a stop to things. The result is a flawed bill that only time will tell just how seriously.

To suggest with a straight face that Republicans cooperated when they clearly turned down eleventy-billion chances to do so is disingenuous at best and craven snotitude at worst. Saying they’re planning even more intransigence over important issues having absolutely nothing to do with health care is just smearing feces on a festering, sucking wound.

That polls show Americans don’t want health care reform at the same time the same polls say they do want each of the constituent parts is a reflection of how monumentally both sides have failed.

Everyone in this sad episode should be canned now, but that’s not an option. If both sides don’t stop this incessant whining and get on with the business of the people, there will be hell to pay. If you think the angry tea baggers are pitchfork-wielding crazies, remember you’re pushing the rest of the country to the same position.

Now STFU and get back to work before I have to stop the car and thump your dumb asses to within an inch of your lives.

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Randomness: Leisure Time Style


Posted by Omnipotent Poobah
Republicans Run Amok

DOWN SIMBA! DOWN! - Clearly, Republicans were quite unhappy with the Obama health care bill and wanted to show it. Click photo for more.

Leisure Time Around the World

Techno-Pop

Everything’s Weird Under the Eyes of the Law

Leaving You Wondering What Capitalists Got for Their Money

Psycho Kid

OUTTA MY WAY! - It seemed as if Sandy was destined for a life of really long, really expensive therapy. Click photo for more.

Japan, O Why Do We Worship Thee?

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Meg and Carly on the Stump


Posted by Omnipotent Poobah
MEGS AND THE BOYS - Meg stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the boys: Whitest Black Man in America Michael Steele, Meg Whitman, former CA chair of the McCain 2008 committee, John McThusela, and some guy who ran for President in 2008 or 2004, I can't rmember because Republicans all look alike.

MEG AND THE BOYS - Meg stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the Republican brain-trust. (From L-R): Whitest Black Man in America, Michael Steele; Meg Whitman, former CA chair of the McCain 2008 Committee; John McThusela, Washed Up Old Man; and some guy who ran for President in 2008 or 2004, I can't remember, Republicans all look alike.

It’s fashionable these days for ex-CEOs to come out of retirement and run for office.  California’s next gubernatorial and senate races feature two of them, ex-eBay CEO Meg Whitman and ex-Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina.

Their styles are night and day. Carly’s a snappy-dresser and features a website where she talks about a place called “Carlyfornia” or “Carlyfiorina” – I can never tell how deep her self-agrandizing ego runs. Her stumping is a bit sketchy and her campaign is mostly known for weird ads with floating heads and demon sheep that blend a Dali-esque surrealism and a touch of crazed Dadaism by way of  Terry Gilliam.

Meg is a sort of billionaire schoolmarm. She seems all warm, fuzzy, and June Cleaver pearls, but rumors about her character run more toward vociferous demands, a neurotic need for perfection, and not taking no for an answer – even when the command is to make the sun rise in the west because the morning light is better. Until this week she answered zero questions, sometimes even inviting the press and then announcing questions would be verboten. The rest of the time it’s tightly controlled canned speeches that read like a 5-Point Plan with fancy PowerPoint animations.

Mary Kate and Ashley on the Stump
On the stump they may look different, but their styles and experiences also make them look like two people in a Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen pod. Both were wunderkinds when they took over their companies, but not so well-liked when they left.

SAY THAT AGAIN - "So you're telling me that I CAN'T just fire the President? That can't be right, can it?

SAY THAT AGAIN - "So you're telling me that I CAN'T just fire the President? That can't be right, can it?"

Fiorina was forced out after piloting HP into a smoking hole. She left with a Gucci bag full of severance money and a lingering HP board undercover operation replete with private eye spies, phone tapping, and intrigue like a Robert Ludlum book. The fractured board had a subpeona party when she left.

Oh, and she didn’t register or even cast a vote until recently.

Meg grew eBay to a garage-sale behemoth.  But after the company plateaued, detractors said a bonobo could’ve done it. After all, eBay supplied a one-company market. Efficiency and time to market doesn’t mean much when you’re the only game in town.  But what really soured investors was Meg’s purchase of Skype for an inflated price which then turned into huge quarterly losses while she tried to figure out what this danged new-fangled communications technology did. After she retired, eBay sold Skype back to its original owners for less than they paid for it.

Oh, and she didn’t register or even cast a vote until recently.

But the crux of their “value add” is to govern California like a business. They see themselves as CEO Governors or Senators. Cut taxes, cut “entitlements”, and spend more money than they have on education.

Newsflash: California Ain’t a Business
Neither of them understands that California isn’t a business. There is no hand-picked board to fetch your slippers and a nice brandy. Instead, there is a legislature almost evenly divided along ideological lines. There is no meek cadre of employees that can be easily hired and fired at will. However, there is a large unionized workforce in and outside of state government that’s scrappy and have some excellent reasons to fight. There’s also a “customer base” for state services made up of some of the poorest, least educated people in the nation.

The place is falling apart after years of neglect by politicians on both sides. Recalling pay-for-play Democrat  Gray Davis and replacing him with a Republican Gray Davis on steroids with a bad accent didn’t help. The state constitution and initiative process looks bad, even when compared with Namibia. You also don’t just talk to the folks down in marketing and change your service offerings and prices to turn a profit. In fact, there is no fricking profit.

In their defense, neither of these women are slouches. They’ve accomplished a lot and had their ups and downs like anyone else, but their CEO solutions are weak because state government is not just private enterprise with a weak profit motive and a bad marketing plan. It is a place with real, very difficult and sometimes intractable problems where people can’t be forced to do things and are in no mood to be agreeable with their opponents. California is more populous and it’s economy orders of magnitude bigger than most European countries. Plus, it has all the stresses of a multi-lingual, immigrant diaspora that dwarfs the number of immigrant Turkish house cleaners at work in EU countries.

Both women have some extra baggage, deservedly or not. Each is paying huge sums from their own pockets fighting opponents who need $5.00 donations to pay for last night’s copy run to Kinko’s. They used to collect perks and bonuses like Lehman bigs did and that makes some leery of their motives, as it should. Many believe that buying an office on your own dime is the same as grifting your way into it without the deep pockets.

It’s early yet. Neither candidate has done much politically so far. As the campaign season drones on, they’ll make mistakes like all the other candidates, get hounded by questions with no answers, and be badgered and protested by every malcontent in the western US and beyond. They’ll soon learn how different governments and companies really are. If they win, they’ll have to put away the PowerPoints and forgo the corporate government retreats in St. Baarts and get to the business of running California.

Judging from the “accomplishments” of other self-styled CEO leaders (see George W. Bush) here’s to hoping they have a meteoric learning curve.

California, Carlyfornia, and the United States of Meg all depend on it and we’re running out of time.

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