Jesster's Comments (1545)

“Well, I'd like to think that just because 75% of GOPers voted to (in effect) support government -sponsored gang rape doesn't mean they acutally / REALLY feel that way, any more than that they REALLY DON'T CARE about the average American's general well-being in terms of life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness -- and maybe some decent health care, jobs, wages, not to mention a dash of dignity and respect.

Hey Unfettered Free-Marketers - think you could spare a little CHANGE - along those lines?”

“My first recollection of the WIMP label as political poison was in 1988 when it was widely applied to George H.W. Bush (Sr. / Pappy) - but he managed to "shake" it (god bless Lee Atwater who came up with Willy Horton (who said R's are racist?) - but was GREATLY ASSISTED by the hapless Michael Dukakis (who looked like a cross between a turtle and one of The Three Stooges) riding in a tank with a dopey helmet in a TV ad his own team produced...

In a matter of mere months, Bush 41 manage to”

“As much as I hate broad generalizations, agree that there are DEGREES of vile conduct and when it comes to unmitigated malice and ill-will toward "man" (and especially woman / women!) the "right" rules the roost.”

“"Reactionary Obstructionism is not a way forward."

How true, Rescisco! It's actually a way to go backwards, which I'm afraid is exactly what the right wing whackos want.”

“I thought Barney hid them in the Oval Office... Or wait, maybe's Rosal's squirrel buried them in the Rose Garden!”

“It was an unfortunate and foolish lapse - that has been promptly acknowledged and corrected.

In the "we can do no wrong" Bush/Cheney Regime, foolish, unacknowledged, uncorrected (and often unconscionable) "mistakes" were a daily occurence.”

“No, it's when that expensive UVA tanning-machine "sunscreen" gets in his eyes!”

“And in both cases the inane and dishonest statements went unchallenged!

Aside: These are two very successful, "well-educated" and supposed intelligent and highly capable women! What gives?”

“This demonstrates the fatal flaw in the mindset of right wing "thought" which is all about being "tough," relying on brute force and brawn, as well as mindless, "one-size-fits-all" punishment / sentencing (socalled solutions.)

We're blessed with brains and the ability to reason - which sadly (and quite arrogantly) too many choose not to use.

Just about every aspect of our criminal justice system requires "fixing" if not a complete overhaul. For starters:

1. Treating non-violent "crime" with excessive severity and little to no effort at rehabilitation?

2. WHY is it so much more "lucrative" to sell illegal drugs than engaging in constructive / productive activites? This question is actually HUGE and cuts to the core. It involves our insane "war on drugs" (making certain drugs illegal does nothing more than make them more attractive (tempting - the forbidden fruit...) AND more EXPENSIVE - leading to a world of crime - especially involving ways to obtain the money to buy the price-inflated contraband (i.e. marijuana is a weed that virtually ANYONE can grow themselves.)

"Harder" drugs should be treated as CONTROLLED substances: controlled! Maybe if we didn't have such an out of whack economic system that richly rewards non-productive "work" (squeezing "labor" into a permenant underclass (with nothing to lose...)

...but don't get me started on the dimwitted mentality of lawmakers like Jim DeMint.”

“I think it was Neil. Neil also had dinner with the his good buddies, the Hinckleys, the night before their son John Hinckley Jr attempted to assassinate President Reagan.

So yes Stargazer, "there is no end to this family!!" ...”

“When you have no conscience, no values and no moral code, lying comes as natural as breathing - and in some cases, even easier.”

“Morning Cambridge! I know ETS is one of the "good guys" - I was just picking up on that tired old bromide (proven to be false) about the GOP being tough on "Terror" (it used to be "tough on Crime" - until GOP focus group interpreters decide that the word "criminal" was too wimpy.")”

“Yes! The "patterns" you are beginning to notice at C Street are enough to make your hair stand on end!”

“Plus, TSA remains "headless" because Sen. Demented is worried about big bad unions who can't be trusted to put country first - you know - like the 9/11 First Responders and 24/7 rescue workers who happened to be union members...

Hey Jim, your real agenda and true priorities are coming across loud and clear.”

“"O', but they are tough on terrorism."

No, they are not "tough on terrorism" - they are ROUGH very rough on "suspected" terrorists. They like to follow the examples of the worst regimes in history: torture people until they are willing to admit to anything. Even McCain knows (at least used to know) that Torture does NOT produce good intelligence - if anything it will likely produce BAD (false) information.

Not to mention that it makes the torturer (in this case, US) SUB-human.”

“Remember all those noisy "patriots" who said they had no problem with Bush/Cheney bugging their phones and computers (etc) because THEY had nothing to hide?

I wonder how those folks feel about full body scans and pat-downs at the airport - regardless of whether the security screeners are unionized or not?”

“Smart move sasidechick. I'll go out a foolhardy limb here, but I'm guessing that maybe close to 50% of the folks who post on HP could ask better follow-up questions than the lame moderators on Sunday Mornings' Most Borings Shows.”

“I thought David Gregory "moderated" "Meet the DePressed" (or is it "Dis-Stressed" or "Regressed" or whatever - take your pick.) PBS IS good - but note that their schedule varies from market to market.”

“No kidding sasidechick ... I so feel your pain. Don't you just want to scream an obvious follow-up question in the ear of those brain-dead moderators?

Have you ever tried turning them on with the volume off? There's a big improvement right there.”

“The problem is that Cheney IS a never ending case of shingles!”

“He wouldn't recognize the truth if it shot him in the face!”

“If you are referring to the mass disappearance of our entire manufacturing base due to overseas (and over-the-border) out-sourcing - for which we can mostly thank our Republican/Right Wing "friends" - who endlessly worry about fair labor and environmental laws and are always seeking to exploit everyone and everything for their immediate profit and pleasure.

Potential terrorism? The first thing on Jim DeMint's mind is stopping potential "uppity" laborers who might want a few rights and a modicum of respect...”

“Out of order to replace MIA reply:
I don't don't recall ever seeing McConnell show any "humanity" before OR after 2008. His wife, Elaine Chao, was Bush's Secretary of Labor (a little joke on all American workers, heh, heh...)

It does seem like the formerly "typical Republican" types are all racing to the right as far and as fast as they can - pretty soon they'll start tripping over one another!”

“Write on Sister! Between ham-handed "security measures" and airline cost-saving measures - flying is on a par with root-canals - except that the seats/chairs are less comfortable!

The politics of FEAR (a GOP main stay / staple) = success for "the terrorists".
For all the tough talk - the right wing is aiding and abetting our enemies by destroying our freedoms AND OUR VALUES so they don't have to.”

“Plus, thanks to irrational partisan politics - Waterloo, Iowa gets the same amount of federal funds for airport security as does Chicago and/or New York.

Just kidding - but only a little.”