The Republican Police State is Here

The Police, in riot gear and carrying semi automatic weapons, raided houses on a purely political basis.  This was done at the behest of the federal government.
They blamed “anarchists”.  No, seriously.  These raids were carried out for thought crime.
Ian Welsh is right in observing that the bleeding silence from the media and political class is [...]

Sarcastic Quip Sums up Right Wing Paranoia

My friend Adam emailed this gem to me from Fox New’s comments section:

Comment by ethan
August 28th, 2008 at 11:58 pm

i heard Barack fathered a black child. i cant vote for him. also.. i heard 25 years ago..a hot dog vendor sold Barack a hot dog. then that vendor went on to say that [...]

Will McCain Leave His Wife for Younger VP Candidate?

My friend Masroor suggested it over lunch.  Its a funny thought.  But the answer is no, Cindy McCain isn’t crippled.
Still this AP article has the unfortunate title McCain taps Alaska governor for VP.

Riverdaughter: Desperation and Comment Fraud

How desperate do you have to be when you edit your user’s comments to fraudulently make it appear they support your position?  Riverdaughter has sunk to a depressing low.
My edited comment:
Dan (Fitness), on August 29th, 2008 at 12:52 am Said:
Are you happy? I am.
(Edited for the amusement of the Site Administrator)
My original comment asked [...]

The Audacity of Bravery

When you consider the risks Barack Obama is taking, just by being Black and running for President, and further by taking progressive political stands, it puts his earnestness front and center.  There is a reason people feel they can trust this man.
My friend Brad, (who when pressed is full of insightful yet cuttingly cynical remarks [...]

Slavery is OK: Republican 527 Attacks Obama

Context is a weak excuse.  Under what context is slavery ethical?  Under what context is stoning someone to death moral?  In a clip that drives home Obama’s fortitude standing up to theocrats who’d eagerly switch the bible for the constitution, Republican political consultant Stephen Marks accuses Obama of arrogantly mocking the bible:
[...]

Obama Official, PUMA Implodes

Riverdaughter sums up the dysfunctional logic of the thwarted PUMA crowd perfectly (emphasis mine):

There will be no love train.  I’m not onboard.  I will never be onboard.
You didn’t listen to us during the primaries.
You didn’t listen to us during the convention.
You are going to hear from us in November.
Barack Obama will NEVER get my vote.  [...]

Congrats Barack Obama!

Barack Obama is now, officially, the Democratic candidate for President in 2008!
Let’s kick some Republican ass!  HELL YEAH!

Tell Health and Human Services to Protect Women’s Health

Fight back against the administration’s disastrous move confusing birth control with abortion.
Via Feministing:
This administration has, time and again, put its political and ideological concerns above the best interests of the American people.
They are, however, a very serious threat to women’s health and to existing patient protections that ensure that even in the face of religious [...]

What Smart Republicans Are Thinking: Judges

Behind the battles over party unity, Republicans are keeping their eyes firmly on the Supreme Court.  Stinerman over at Swords Crossed has a post that should be required reading for anyone who supports a woman’s right to choose, separation of church and state, and workers rights:
A common argument for McCain that has been used to [...]

Open Letter to a PUMA Follow Up

Diamondtiger has been censoring any comments on his blog that effectively counter his argument (or even reference the censorship).  That’s what passes for free speech with the PUMA crowd I suppose.
Talk about hypocrisy:
Your Conscience has ended up in the SPAM FILTER because he/she could not be civil and respect free speech. Sorry – start bashing [...]

Open Letter to a PUMA

Dear Ron:
In your letter, you said:
I’ve supported the Democrats for 40 years because the Dem party was also the democratic party. This year, those two things have diverged.
No, they haven’t.  One candidate won the primary with the most votes and the most delegates.  PUMA is standing against democracy in democracy’s name.  Why should the majority [...]

Good Reads and Curiosities

Richard Dawkins reading his hate mail:

Check out The Daily Show’s RNC Convention Billboard.
This looks fascinating (race as a theological problem).
One rich Republican is behind most of the negative campaigning in 2004 (“Swift Boat Veterans for Truth”) and to come in 2008.
Nancy Pelosi waxes wicked awesome.
Drop in and have a read: Nezua [...]

Fox News: Corporate Rhetoric

The Right Wing media loves a chance to present protesters (read “far leftists”) as the dirty unruly mob to their clean authority figures.  Clucking their tongues and barely disguising the pleasure they take in their tacked on umbrage, I’m sure they’ll call the people literally marching in streets “latte-sipping liberal elites” without skipping a beat.  [...]

Clinton Releases Delegates, Will PUMA Listen?

Hillary Clinton is releasing her pledged delegates, and asking them to vote for Obama.
As the convention approaches, PUMA’s distance from Hillary Clinton will become even sharper.  That will leave the PUMA crowd with a choice between a candidate with experience fighting everything Hillary Clinton stood for, or a candidate with less experience (but hardly none) [...]