VA Lady2008's Comments (282)

“What I read previously was already TMI.

Will this be more than I can stand TMI?”

“The leadership of the Democratic party is assuming that the progressives won't defect, and that we can be nickeled and dimed forever. In this, they make the mistake of thinking that progressives are somehow like evangelical Christians: ignorant yoo-hoos who will believe whatever we're told.

Think again, Dick Durbin and company. In Virginia, a completely winnable gubernatorial campaign was forfeited by the Democrats to the Republicans in large part because so many progressives, looking at the proposed candidate, found themselves either unenthusiastic or unbelieving, and either stayed home on election day, or, in the case of the Virginia lady, voted, but failed to volunteer for the campaign.

The Democrats were elected mostly to effect change, and the more I look, the more of the same old same old I see. Many of us are not just social progressives, we're also fiscal conservatives, and some, like me, became Democrats mostly because we were booted out of the liberal wing of the GOP. I can see that liberal wing reviving, and soon. You take us for granted at your peril.”

“Given the horrible details of the crime, and the unsavory, disingenuous and utterly dishonest behavior of both the Scots and the Libyan governments, I think it just as likely that our convicted murderer is living the high life somewhere.

Tho it is not a Christian thing to even think, if he's dead, I hope he died hard. I'll save my tears for the 270 souls, either aboard the flight or on the ground, that he willfully murdered.”

“More interestingly, seeing this particular Christian woman, who would, doubtless without any doubt, be front and center to deny the rest of us OUR rights. Now, suddenly, she sees things differently.”

“Continuing his pattern of conducting his adulterous, illegal love affair, one way or the other, on the taxpayers' collective dime.”

“""While it is not the course I would have hoped for, or would choose..."

What a sniveling liar. He chose to pick up a mistress. He chose to deceive his wife. He chose to run off to Argentina to be with his light of love, apparently on several occasions, and on the taxpayers' collective dime. He chose to "enter counseling" when he was planning on going back to the 21st century Argentine Firecracker.

While I don't have much use for either one of them, at least the soon to be Ex Mrs Sanford has come sufficiently to her senses to dump the bum. As I understand it, she was the one with the real money, so he might just have persuaded some hand picked and appointed judge to force her to split the assets. His odds on gainful employment once he's forced from office are probably close to zero. Even the Republicans likely won't want to be tainted by his presence. Perhaps his pals in C Street can help out.

The laws on community property are quite complex, but I believe SC is NOT a community property state, which means, should she choose to do so, she can take him not only for every penny he has now (and I'd suggest he'd better agree, because she has him cold on adultery). After the divorce, some likely local prosecutor can go after him for it. Adultery is not just a "just cause for divorce" in SC: it's a crime.”

“All good points. I believe they actually might date from a bit later, but they did have TWO useful characteristics, aside from very easy to point and shoot and maintain: they were high powered, and it was extremely simple to attach a silencer. As I understand it, our alleged offender got off two rounds, but the witnesses seem all to describe the returned gunfire from the NYPD. The third round either misfired or jammed. I wonder whether the silencer was involved.

Sadly, it seems almost certain that the weapon originated in the Old Dominion, home of the Virginia Lady, and one in which the state legislature still remains in thrall of the NRA. I apologize on behalf of the rest of us.”

“I see they rewrote the headline. Maybe the HuffPosteurs actually DO read the comments.”

“Shame on HuffPo for the headline. And more shame for omitting several very important facts from the lead paragraph.

We wouldn't like to lett little things like FACTS get in the way of a headline, would we?

While factually correct, the incomplete headline, lead paragraph, and accompanying photo, were WAY out of line, and clearly designed to make us believe that the ugly, thuggish, brutal police (take a look at that photo) murdered an innocent pan-handler. IF you kept on reading, you learned in the middle of paragraph 3, and that the police didn't start shooting UNTIL the alleged offender turned and started shooting. There were civilians, likely including children, in the area.

When our miscreant started shooting, I don't think the NYPD had much choice but to return fire. But then again, putting all of that in the FIRST paragraph wouldn't have been nearly as exciting.”

“Amen! She did the best she was thought she could get away with at the time, but it was a blinking poor performance relying on playing blind, keeping silent, and marrying money. LOTS AND LOTS of money: twice. Why did she speak so little, at least when she was younger? I suggest it was NOT because she had so little to actually say, but out of terror she mightlet the corporate cat out of the bag. Her entire existence was part of a carefully wrought and expensively bought and maintained myth, and she didn't do the women of America any favors. She was the last exemplar of the "shut up and keep them spread" kind of woman hood that the mysogynists of America so loved.

However, when she got older, and with the money from number two in her hot hands, she seemed to change. No one ever said she was stupid, just a phony, but when you can no longer sell yourself with beauty and sex, well then, you can sell yourself with your brains. Unfortunately, she taught an entire GENERATION of women that it was perfectly OK to rely on some man, and it was you DUTY to put up with whatever he chose to dish out.”

“I spent 30 years in the executive branch, in USDA, and our marching orders were always to stay out of politics or else!

The CRS is a creature of the Congress. Its mission is to provide honest, objective research and analysis to Congress. They historically have hired young analysts and developed those who cut the mustard all the way to the GS 15 and SES level; many spend their entire careers there, and they are no idle, politically appointed drones. These men and women, the best of them, tend to be the leading experts in their diverse fields. When they eventually retire, the GS 15s are generally replaced by AT LEAST three GS 13s or 14s, and remain on call to help out those who come next.

To protect that mission (I didn't work there, but a family member did) the staff has strict orders to "stay out of politics or else." Management, no matter who controls the Congress, tends to protect the mission zealously. One whiff of "partisanship" and CRS will be finished. Wouldn't have mattered, as things stand now, whether Mr. Davis had written something in support of Gitmo, or in opposition: someone in the Congress would have disagreed, violently.

This one likely will go to the Supreme Court, eventually, if everyone lives long enough.”

“Women are rightfully wary of government spewed "recommendations." We ladies of a 'certain age' well remember that Medicare was more than willing to cover Viagra, which meant, for the most part that health insurance companies followed suit, even while continuing to REFUSE to cover the cost of contraceptives. In the end, it took individual LAWS in many states to force insurance companies to cover the cost of screening mammograms.

Anyone who thinks that the insurance companies would have refused, once again, to cover the cost of mammograms needs to wake up and smell the coffee. WOMEN are cheap, expendible, and generally fungible commodities.

I'm sorry it took an act of Congress to ensure that insurance companies will be FORCED to continue to provide this mammo coverage, but experience shows that it will.”

“Joe Scarborough, while wrong on pretty much every issue I care about, is actually a fairly sharp person, with the intellect to pursue his beliefs. I don't happen to share them, but I do admire a man with intellect.

No wonder loathesome Rushbo doesn't like him: Scarborough likely wouldn't give two hoots, or even a listen, to the intellectually questionable and morally de-compassed Rush Limbaugh. Limbaugh cares about power, and access, and money, and has to figure that with Sarah Palin, he would have all three. Pretty much everyone else on the list has or will distance him or herself from this panderer. He's HAS proclaimed her the head of the Republican party, already. Some head.

Intellectual ability and drive means you can get something done, even if people laugh at you. Prime example: Al Franken. He put the Rethuglicans in the position of supporting a very reasonable proposal from him, or voting to allow corporate America to force rape victims into "arbitration" led by the same people who HIRED THE RAPISTS. What a great idea, both on the part of corporate America, and the Republicans, but mostly on the part of Al Franken, who showed them all up for EXACTLY what they are: haters, adherents of the party of no, with absolutely NOTHING to offer anyone except the corporate white boys who are their supporters.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/15/jon-stewart-takes-on-30-r_n_321985.html”

“This bigot has been a judge for 34 years, with I presume the same attitude for his entire tenure. Is there anyone here with an education and a three-digit IQ who thinks this is the FIRST TIME someone has complained? Or is it just the first time that someone has complained, and someone actually listened?

Part of the listening involves the Internet. Hate, bigotry and lawlessness do their jobs best when covered up and kept dark, and the Internet acts as a real ball of sunshine in exposing this kind of hatefulness.

This judge has been elected and re-elected without opposition EVERY SINGLE TIME. This says quite a bit about the parish, where--presumably--at least some black people, or half black people, or black people with white blood, or white people with black blood live.

None of what it says is good: I suspect were a real Department of Justice to look further into the matter it would find out that a good many non-whites don't vote in the parish, either because they have been discouraged, or just aren't allowed.

We'd also find out that the white so-called people, a lot of them anyway, think the judge's opinions are just fine.”

“The flailing GOP leadership has been more than happy with the tea-baggers, who demonstrate that it's a lot more fun to party on than to try to figure out actual, WORKABLE solutions to real problems.

The tea-baggers, for their part, while funded at least in part, and at second hand by the GOP, have demonstrated a surprising unwillingness to play along. Witness their refusal to allow RNC Chairman Steele to speak at their summer sheniaguins. Even so, the GOP has cozied up to these crazies, because they see money and votes in the pot.

The trouble here is that the "stuff" in the pot is fools gold. These screamers, who include gun nuts, racists, bigots, haters and criminals--including people who would be more than happy to pick up their NRA-GOP authorized and condoned assault rifles to "water the ground" with blood, have demonstrated that some of that blood might well come from insufficiently like minded Republicans.

This faction of the party has always been with us, one way or another, but lacks the votes to win a national race and in fact, is pushing the remaining moderates (including this socially progressive, pay as you go fiscal conservative, who has long since been booted from the tent) away from the party, as well as disgusting the increasingly large number of independents.

Finally, the remaining intelligent members of the GOP have realized that cozying up to the crazies is going to cost them.

What delightful symmetry.”

“The apparently charming (in small doses) Sarah Palin, who has a truly hard core specialty: creating fear, hatred, anger and pain. Leading Republicans wince at her appearances and commentary, they probably don't even believe the polling numbers, because they can SEE the apparently unending pot of gold she's raking in. She energizes conservatives and aggravates Democrats.

Given that, they're not likely to rein her in. The telegenic rabble rowser, although she will claim, probably correctly, that she represents her own unique personal point of view has been co-opted by the a failing, and flailing about, Republican hierarchy to do the ultimate dirty job: get her adherents focused on hate and fear, so they won't bother to think.

The trouble here is that the "stuff" in the pot is fools gold. Ms. Palin and her like minded adherents can make a lot of noise and trouble, but lack the votes to win a national race and in fact, are pushing the remaining moderates (including this socially progressive, pay as you go fiscal conservative, who has long since been booted from the tent) away from the party, as well as disgusting the increasingly large number of independents.

In the long run, what passes for the GOP leadership will see that they've sold their positions, party, and country for a mess of stinking cabbage.”

“I was still marginally considering voting for McCain--I crossed party lines to vote for him in the primary in 2001-- UNTIL they nominated the slick chick hillbilly from Wasilla.

From the first words out of her mouth, I knew she was not just completely unfit--tempermentally and intellectually--but totally unqualified to be sitting one heartbeat away from a presidency that might go to a 70 year old plus cancer surviver.”

“This is nothing. Today, Friday, at 3:09 pm I made a $200 cash deposit in person to my local Wachovia Branch. I was informed that not only would my deposit not be credited for today, it wouldn't be credited for Saturday OR Monday. The cutoff time was apparently 3:00.

I listened to two lame sets of the same regurgitated babblespeak and called them out for what they are: THIEVES.

There were prominent signs all over the bank noting that the bank would be OPEN on Monday, Columbus Day, which is unusual, but NO WHERE did they say that they'd be grabbing my money, and the money of (probably millions) of fellow depositors and pocketing the floating interest.

I know many of you are incensed at BOA, and as a former BOA customer driven out by bad customer service, I can't say I blame you. However: I walked one block and across the street and asked BOA what their policy was and was told that as long as I made the deposit by closing time (6:00 pm on Friday) at the counters, or by 8:00 pm in the ATM, I would be credited for today.

I'll be opening a new account elsewhere on Monday, and will transfer the bulk of my savings immediately. As soon as I can get the direct deposit paycheck transferred and all my checks clear, it's AMF to Wachovia.

They all stink.”

“Did Cigna fire the employees involved? Did Cigna even discipline them?

I thought not.”

“To Antonin Scalia, I'm sure the cross really does represent "everybody."

That would be everybody who counts, in his opinion. You all know: the right kind of people. White Republican Christian men.

That cross does not me, my family, or my son.”

“I suspect that Senator Ensign WILL testify, because he'll be responding to a grand jury subpoena, and he'll be under oath, as well. However, as we know in our bones, Republicans have absolutely no problem lying under oath--at this moment I imagine he is creatively making up exactly how he'll word his eventual allocution...which he will be forced to give when he pleads guilty, as have so many before him.

My prediction is that he will testify, he will lie, and eventually some sharpie in the DOJ will nail him for perjury. And then, some other sharpie in the IRS, will nail him and his parents for tax evasion in the matter of the "gifts" to the mistress and her family.

Those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it. Former Senator Bob Ney remains in stir for , among other things, lying in the Abramoff case. Scooter Libby was convicted, but never served a day, for obstruction, making false statements, and perjury. Al Capone actually went to jail for income tax evasion.

Republicans of the Ensign persuasion think that truth is elastic, words mean what they THINK they mean, and that following the law is for little people, like you and me to follow, and taxes are also for little people,

Well now, finally, it's the little people's collective turn.”

“Where have I heard of this scenario before? Oh, right, in the barely believable Fletcher Knebel's novel (and later movie) Seven Days in May. A thoughtful President, an arrogant-out-of the chain of command 4 star general who wants to be president, a bunch of loonies from the other party: all trying like mad to unseat, somehow, an elected president to install a "we can control him" General.

It didn't work out for the general in the novel, or the movie, and I suspect the denouement will be the same in real life. : the general will be allowed to retire, with no reduction in rank or retired pay.

We have a chain of military command in this country: it starts at the top, with the President of the United States. McChrystal actually got a favor in meeting with the President, and one that he obviously neither appreciated nor deserved. The President is well within his rights to do his communicating thru the Sec Def, or General Petraeus, although Petraeus, no matter what he claims, obviously has been out of action for the past couple of months for radiation treatment of prostate cancer.

All the braying and howling of the tin-foil hat brigade in time can't change it.”

“Well said.”

“We're facing 10 percent unemployment, and far more were you to add in the underemployed, and those who have just given up even looking for work because there are, according to the NYT 6 unemployeed people for every job available. We've bankrupted the country by giving tax cuts to the wealthy while squandering our honor, dignity, and blood on a foolish war of choice, not necessity, and then faility to PAY for it. We've given free reign to do anything they want to the likes of banks, major corporations, health insurance companies, food producers, drug producers--on Alan Greenspan's lunatic theory that corporations will behave in their best interests. All of these things occurred on Greenspan's watch, and not only did he not lift a finger to STOP any of it, he encouraged it and provided the intellectual enabling necessary to allow it all to happen.

It's not as if George Bush could have thought of any of these things himself.

Quick someone, explain to me why we should listen to ANYTHING Alan Greenspan--who like his faux god George Bush--is busily attempting to rewrite history to clean up his own role in creating and enabling this mess.”

“When Krugman writes that the Republicas are behaving like a bunch of bratty 13 year olds, he just blows past the fact that the Democrats used to behave that way as well. Back in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when I was coming of age, much of the "activity" of the Democratic party was centered on a huge fight between "youth"--who wanted free love, and an end to war, and an end to bigotry, and "maturity" which had slipped into supporting a horrible war (mostly because it was too stubborn to admit it had been swindled) and which was, now notoriously, moving away from the racial bigotry of the south.

The Democrats of the day could fairly have been called bratty 13 year olds; the Republicans, at least those who showed prominently in public, as mature, responsible, intellectually sharp adults.

What a change we've seen. Now it is the Democrats who are the grown ups. All semblance of honor, dignity, intellectual rigor, fiscal probity, and a willingness to look out for anyone except themselves has vanished from the Republican Party.

I was long since booted from this increasingly tiny tent. Actuarily, I have less than two decades left to attain readmission, before I shuffle off to a much bigger tent.

With the current crew in charge, I not only see no possibility of being invited back. Even if I were, I wouldn't be interested in going.”