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Tag: "wingnuttery"

Your Republican Party!

[ 84 ] May 10, 2012 | Erik Loomis

The modern Republican Party: creating myths about what the Founders thought out of thin air yet actually opposing what the Founders invented while screaming tyranny.

The latest example of the second part of this equation comes from the House passing a bill eliminating the census surveys that have been part of the census process ever since 1790 when noted tyrant and suppressor of civil liberties Thomas Jefferson created it to learn more about how the nation’s people lived.

Some choice quotes:

“It would seem that these questions hardly fit the scope of what was intended or required by the Constitution,” said Rep. Daniel Webster (R-Fla.), author of the amendment. “This survey is inappropriate for taxpayer dollars,” Webster added. “It’s the definition of a breach of personal privacy. It’s the picture of what’s wrong in Washington, D.C. It’s unconstitutional.”

Yes, because the government that created the census surveys didn’t know much about the Constitution since it only consisted of several delegates to the Constitutional Convention.

Also, the real Daniel Webster is no doubt rolling over in his grave (or more likely giving a 15 hour speech about it in the afterlife) about what an idiot his namesake is.

And of course, Steve King, man of genius:

“I think it’s important to have the information, but it’s important that people have freedom and liberty and we do not have an intrusive federal government that would impose a fine on people if they didn’t let the information come out about whether they had a flush toilet,” said Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa).

I guess this all makes sense though, because there’s no question the Republicans are opposed to the Enlightenment.

Shorter Josh Treviño: “Smear the Queer”

[ 76 ] May 10, 2012 | Erik Loomis

I know it’s shocking that conservatives would support both bullying and homophobia. In case you had forgotten this, allow me to present you with Josh Treviño’s response to this story of Romney being a homophobic bully in high school. Among his tweets on it include:

What this ludicrous story on Young Mitt represents is the intersection of the political hit piece with the anti-bullying hysteria.

And

I actually feel better about Mitt, knowing he’ll forcibly cut hippies’ hair:

Now, one can debate the relevance of a story about a presidential candidate in high school, although bullying tendencies at age 15 don’t always go away. But as Ezra Klein pointed out in another tweet, “the reactions are telling us some disturbing things about others.” Indeed they are. They remind us that conservatives love bullying and they love homophobia. And that includes supposedly serious and respectable conservative Josh Treviño.

Let the Martyrdom Begin

[ 39 ] May 8, 2012 | Erik Loomis

Jonathan Tobin begins the deification of martyr Naomi Schaefer Riley.

In saying this, Riley was blunt but transgressed no rules of journalism other than the need not to offend powerful constituencies. But for those devoted to the promotion of this sector of academia, for Riley to have pointed out that the emperor has no clothes is an unforgivable offense that must be punished by branding her as a racist who must be banished from the pages of the magazine. The only “standard” that Riley did not live up to in this post was the obligation to say what many on the left want to hear. Contrary to McMillen, the betrayal here was not on the part of the Chronicle for having published Riley, but in firing her in order to appease an unreasoning pack of academic jackals howling for the blood of anyone with the temerity to point out their shortcomings.

The Academic Jackals wouldn’t be a bad name for a band.

Heartland Institute Crash and Burn

[ 24 ] May 7, 2012 | Erik Loomis

I’m really impressed with the Heartland Institute’s aggressive crash and burn policy. Six months ago, virtually no one had heard of this libertarian business front group. Then Peter Gleick got ahold of their internal documents and released them (a hero’s work), demonstrating the cynical way the group sought to discredit climate change. Instead of fading back into the background after this embarrassment, Heartland went public in a huge way, releasing the incredibly stupid and offensive billboards comparing people who believe in climate change to the Unabomber. The harsh reaction to this has caused many of Heartland’s funders to flee, particularly the insurance industry which was working with both Heartland and environmental groups to limit government subsidies to rebuild in floodplains and other high-risk areas (which actually makes some sense).

As we have seen with ALEC, increased progressive organizing against business front groups with extremist agendas is making a difference. I’m a bit skeptical about this as a long-term strategy, as these front groups with their shady funders will just keep reappearing under different names. But it’s hard to see anyone taking anything the Heartland Institute says seriously again.

Also from North Carolina

[ 93 ] May 2, 2012 | Erik Loomis

A hell of a day for the Tar Heel State:

Jodie Brunstetter, wife of state senator Peter Brunsetter, has publicly stated that North Carolinians need to pass Amendment 1, which would define marriage as between a man and a woman, said:

“During the conversation, Ms. Brunstetter said her husband was the architect of Amendment 1, and one of the reasons he wrote it was to protect the Caucasian race. She said Caucasians or whites created this country. We wrote the Constitution. This is about protecting the Constitution. There already is a law on the books against same-sex marriage, but this protects the Constitution from activist judges.”

Hmmmm….

Brusnsetter later claimed that while she did use the word “Caucasian” she couldn’t say why and that it was not a racial issue.

Yes, no doubt.

Agenda 21

[ 16 ] April 28, 2012 | Erik Loomis

I’m really glad that Agenda 21, the United Nations guidelines on sustainable development, is becoming an issue in the Virginia Senate race. That’s not because some lunatics are talking about it in hidden meetings. It’s a big deal because George Allen is making it a theme in his campaign.

At first, Mr. Allen looked as if he would take the bait, speaking gamely about preserving the nation’s sovereignty and mentioning Agenda 21, a United Nations sustainable development plan that some conservatives fear has morphed into a global land use agenda for their hometowns.

What do wingnuts think about the perfidious Agenda 21?

I think the real question for all of you is whether you want to start wading in the cesspool of wingnuttery. I’ll only say that expect to read a lot about George Soros and socialism. Good times.

Which Republican Governor is the Biggest Asshat?

[ 59 ] April 26, 2012 | Erik Loomis

Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s time for everyone’s favorite game–”Which Republican Governor is the Biggest Asshat?” I’m your host, Erik Loomis, and today, we are going to tour the nation visiting our favorite Republican asshat governors. Vote early and often!

Behind Door A, we have one Scott Walker of Wisconsin:

While Wisconsin Gov, Scott Walker (R) fights to keep his job in a recall election scheduled for June, he is being forced to confront a harsh reality in his state: It lost more jobs during the past 12 months than any other state in the United States.

Wisconsin lost 23,900 jobs between March 2011 and March 2012, according to data released Tuesday by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state’s lead in job losses is significantly greater than the rest of the 50 states: No other state lost more than 3,500 jobs.

The majority of the losses in Wisconsin, 17,800, were in the public sector. However, the state lost more private-sector jobs, 6,100, than any other state. The only other states to report private-sector job losses in the same time period (instead of private-sector gains) were Mississippi and Rhode Island.

Walker gets the vote of Angela Merkel and David Cameron.

Behind Door B: Rick Scott of Florida!

Timing has not been on Gov. Rick Scott’s side lately.

Earlier this week, I pointed out that the governor eliminated $1.5 million in state funds for 30 rape crisis centers across the state during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. A day after that news began to spread, Scott attended an awards ceremony at the Capitol for National Crime Victims’ Rights Week.

Among those who received an award that day: Nicole Bishop, the director of Palm Beach County Victim Services, which was one of the rape crisis centers that lost funding due to Scott’s veto.

“I thought it was unfortunate,” Bishop says. “Those funds were definitely needed.”

And behind Door C: A cliff in which to dive into a sea of lava!!

I know how I’m voting….

Grassley

[ 16 ] April 22, 2012 | Erik Loomis

It’s just been too long since Republicans created a non-scandal scandal.

What I want Chuck Grassley to investigate is not whether Barack Obama brought some Colombian prostitutes to his suite, for all Republicans know he did. Instead, he needs to find out how many Colombian prostitutes Obama employed, how much coke he used, and whether Hillary used the same hit man she hired to whack Vince Foster to eliminate the evidence of Obama’s insatiable sexual desires.

UPDATE [SL]: I think these priorities are misplaced. Clearly, Obama ordered the Colombian prostitutes to kill Vince Foster again to cover up the heroin distribution ring he and Bill Clinton are running out of the Mesa and Peoria airports. We know that. The real question is — did the Colombian prostitutes collaborate with Obama on a failed property deal? We cannot be certain at this time, but I think we can all agree Obama should be preemptively impeached just to be safe.

Allen West Going Full McCarthy

[ 70 ] April 11, 2012 | Erik Loomis

I love it.

The conservative tea party icon also got in shots at Democrats and President Obama, who spoke Tuesday at Florida Atlantic University. West said Obama was “scared” to have a discussion with him. He later said “he’s heard” up to 80 U.S. House Democrats are Communist Party members, but wouldn’t name names.

I guess this means that a) every time someone asks West about this, he will come up with a different number and b) West is in the middle of a decades-long bender that will soon end in his death.

The Definitive Instapundit

[ 69 ] March 24, 2012 | Scott Lemieux

~~Shorter~~ Differently phrased Glenn Reynolds: “As the blogosphere’s preeminent gun nut, I’ve been strangely silent about the Martin killing. However, I want to make it clear that this is good for Republicans, because it will remind people that the president is black and, also, there are protests by other black people. Actual vigilante killings of unarmed black people not doing anything illegal are nothing to worry about, but DNC chairman Louis Farrakhan tweeting that people getting away with murder may lead to more violence is beyond the pale of human decency.

Oh yeah, and in my trademark passive-aggressive manner I’ll make clear that I do in fact believe Zimmerman’s ludicrously implausible story.”

…via Mark F. in comments, ~~shorter~~ verbatim Hindrocket: “This case has nothing to do with race. Racialists cite Zimmerman’s muttering of the phrase “f****** coons” while on the phone with 911 as evidence of racism. Others have interpreted that phrase differently, but to me, the one time I listened to it, it sounded like “f****** coons.” But so what? It is not illegal to say “f****** coons.” So if a racist slur isn’t illegal, it ceases to become racist! Fascinating.

…Pierce: “Well I certainly don’t feel calm and measured, and it’s not because my kids “could have been Trayvon.” No, they could not have. My kids are white. They lived in the suburbs. They could wear their pants anyway they liked. They could have worn hoodies to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, and nobody would have looked askance at them, let alone blown them away with a handgun.”

The Florida GOP Would Like to Buy Your Rock

[ 181 ] March 22, 2012 | Scott Lemieux

The Homer Simpson school of logic finds another Republican adherent, in this case an apologist for racist vigilante killings of people who aren’t even guilty of anything.

Apropos to my related point, I submit these metaphorical 2×4 blows on behalf of the exoneration of said racist murderers without comment.

The Federalism Fairy

[ 171 ] March 21, 2012 | Scott Lemieux

I think Yglesias correctly identifies the very most annoying part of zombie-eyed granny-starver Paul Ryan’s budget. It’s not just that he portrays his destroy-the-safety-net-to-fund-upper-class-tax-cuts-and-runaway-defense-spending budget as a measure to preserve the safety net, although that’s awful enough. It’s that he tries to reconcile the contradictions by invoking state governments and their alleged ability to “tailor their resources to particular populations.” What this means in practice, of course, is that when the state have less money “particular populations” like poor people and especially poor racial minorities will find themselves without a safety net.

UPDATE: I agree with Anderson that Chait is great on this as well.