Los Angeles June 23, 2008
By Danny McBride
Actually not that rough. We’ve seen Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani for years now. The nearly 75-year-old cleric was a major mover and shaker during the 1979 Islamic Revolution which dumped the Sha of Iran from power and set up a new Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. He’s passed away, but that has been Iran ever since. Until the past couple of weeks.
Rafsanjani is still on the Assembly of Experts, and in fact, is the leader of this group that oversees everything in Iran. We are getting the impression from news reports.that ultimate control of Iran’s politics resides with Supreme Leader Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hoseyni Khameini. But while he exercises supreme executive power, Khameini serves at the pleasure of the Assembly of Experts, chaired by billionaire-cum-revolutionary-cum-former-Iranian president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.
Rafsanjani is not in line with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and, in fact, might be said to be sympathizing with the opposition. His daughter and some relatives were arrested and detained recently as a message to Rafsanjani from the hard-liners, although they have since released his family members as Rafsanjani didn’t blink.
What we’re talking about here is Conservatives and Ultra-Conservatives- -people who have their own views of the Islamic way of life. In all this, Rafsanjani may be looked upon as the Islamic Council Member most open to talks with Europeans and Americans. But he is still an Islamic Cleric so as he rises to the top of the American news, remember he is not necessarily the “people’s cleric”, just a little more broad-minded by comparison with Khameini.. He ran against Ahmadinajad and won, and was Iran’s President from 1989-1997, but then ran against him again and lost. He is still one of the richest men in Iran- -a multi-billionaire.
This is from the Associated Press:
On Monday, Tehran riot police fired tear gas and live bullets to break up about 200 protesters paying tribute to those killed in the protests, including a young women, Neda Agha Soltan, whose apparent shooting death was captured on video and circulated worldwide. Witnesses said helicopters hovered overhead as riot police fired live rounds and lobbed tear gas to break up the gathering. Security forces ordered people to keep walking and prevented even small groups from gathering. .
Caspian Makan, a 37-year-old photojournalist in Tehran who identified himself as Soltan's boyfriend, said she had not been deterred by the risk of protesting. "She only ever said that she wanted one thing, she wanted democracy and freedom for the people of Iran," he told an Associated Press reporter during a telephone call from Tehran.
It may not be Tiananmen Square 1989 or Prague Spring 1968, but to quote Bob Dylan, “Something is happening here but you don’t know what it is do you, Mister. Jones?”
Neda’s death will be mourned over the course of forty days in the formal fashion of the culture. This is not going to go away.
This is how The Sha was done away with, in case you don’t recall, and sent to Palm Springs. Mourning takes place on appointed days after a death and the last day and the biggest demonstration will come on the fortieth day. For sure, someone else will be killed, and then there will be a big demonstration forty days after that, and so on until the administration can stand it no more.
Professors and intellectuals will be arrested and detained and there will be many deaths- -hundreds, maybe thousands, we’ll never know for sure..
This is a job for The Mahatma. Right now, Rafsanjani may have to do. We can only observe from a distance because Western journalists, even El Arybia, are forbidden to cover the story inside of Iran. But in an age of cell phones and Twitter, iPods, Blackberrys, computers and satellites, one cannot stop the flow of information.’
In the hideous video of Neda’s death the young man attending her as she fades from this life can be seen wearing Levi 501s. You can’t tell these kids from our own. It’s not like Iraq or Afghanistan. This is a modern country with a few Islamic quirks, as opposed to an Islamic country with a few modern quirks.
The United States has so far reacted correctly by saying little and doing nothing. After all, Persia has been a civilized country since about 7000 BC, so they have a bit of experience in putting things together their way. And it will be their way.
Stand back. Stay out of the way. They will sort this out for themselves.
Go worry about North Korea.
-30-
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Explanation of Benefits
Los Angeles, June 15, 2009
By Danny McBride
Yup. That’s what it says at the top of the page. THIS IS NOT A BILL.
Okay fine, but it’s an explanation I can’t understand easily and I’m wondering why I pay so much a month for health insurance that leaves me still owing a ton of money to medical providers and labs.
We have to stop referring to ourselves as a civilized country. We are not civil. We are still as lawless in our behavior toward one another as we were in the days of Tombstone, Arizona in the 1880s- -Wyatt Earp, Doc Holiday and the Clanton Gang- -shoot out at the O K Corral. (By the way, they still re-enact a tourist version every day from 9:30 to 4:30 in the theater located next to the O K Corral.)
By now we all know that there are more than thirty countries that have better health care set-ups than we do. We may have good science in many areas, but our healthcare system is equal to the lawlessness of the old west.
“Doc, Doc, Help me! I’ve been wounded in a shootout.
“Well, first I have some forms for you to fill out. Then I need to get a pre-authorization.”
“Hurry, Doc. I’m hurt real bad.
“Gosh, I’m sorry, Son, but your insurance doesn’t seem to cover random gunshot wounds. You’ll have to just lie there in the street until you stop bleeding. Besides, I’m a dentist and you appear to have all your teeth. I can’t help you, Son. Oh, and be sure to floss.”
We are an ignorant people, a silly people, the dregs of other societies lumped together as one blathering nation of malcontents, bigots, people who hate and hate lots of things- -holocaust museums, doctors, you name it- -and act on their hate by carrying out their own justice with their own guns just like Wyatt and the guys, although we look at Wyatt Earp as one of the good guys. It’s probably because he won the gunfight and survived to the ripe old age of 80, almost 81, dying in 1929 in Hollywood where he worked in the movies as an advisor on westerns. He would have lived longer but he didn’t have good health insurance.
The new administration arrived with all the hope and good will that any President has had in forty years. Those of us who remember those days of yesteryear recall the good feeling all over the country. I guess we hoped for a repeat of that, after years of flamboyant disrespect for the wants and wishes of the American people. But apparently not.
In 2006 the Democrats took over the Congress and Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid became our new leaders. Did you think that something might change? Boy were you wrong. These buzzards run the same show we were entreated to before. Man did that suck. Now we are witnessing the same thing from our hero. Beautiful wife and kids. Sharp and funny. Movie star good looks. A team of supposedly the best and the brightest who will turn everything around. But guess what? Squat. Gitmo. Bailouts. Health care. Re-neg.
He seems to have lost his spine. We were going to close Gitmo, now maybe not. By the way, every time I hear someone say “Gitmo” I am reminded of the song “Guantanamera”, which, of course, is “Gitmo”. Beautiful song one hundred years old. Also used as the “El Pollo Loco” chicken fast food place theme song for their ads. Sing “El Pollo Loco” instead of “Guantanamera”. I digress.
We have shoveled money at the banks that created the financial nightmare.
“Hey, you lost all that money- -here’s some more. Try not to laugh.”
And we are going to invite all parties to the table to solve health care. That’s right, the insurance companies, the pharmaceutical companies, the “for profit” HMOs and hospital and doctor services—you here them advertising. What does air time cost? Fine. It will be added to your bill. It’s a wonder some don’t say “a gratuity has been added to your bill as a courtesy.”
A courtesy??? Why, you…
So, yes, invite the health insurance companies and big pharma to the table, like an old west poker game, and then SHOOT them for cheating, dealing off the bottom, the way Maverick would have done it.
There’s only one way to fix healthcare. Nationalize the whole damn thing.
No more “for profit” medical care.
Having a healthy population is in the country’s best interest. No more pay to play. If I’ve got to go to the hospital, I go. Health care for the common good. No sick people leaning up against me in the subway. Nobody putting off that annual physical or that needed operation. Covered. All of it.
We don’t ask you to put a quarter in a box every time you pass a street light. At that rate you’d never get anywhere. The Water and Power Company is run for the common good. We don’t pay the Fire Department to come to our house but avoid other residences. They are for all, and of course, so are the Police.
“Excuse me, sir, but for us to keep chasing that bad guy it will cost you another fifty bucks.”
Can you imagine that? Well, health care is the same.
We must take over the insurance system and have it be like the military. We don’t ask people to protect and serve only if I send in my contribution. Otherwise we could be under attack and troops wouldn’t move until we all ponied up. Is that nuts, or what? Same deal.
We do incredible science in this country in the service of defense and attack deterrents. Look at our planes. Look at our guns. Hell no- -I ain’t fighting them. And that’s what most of the countries in the world feel as well. Even the so-called Bad Guys. And yet we don’t have to pay up per plane or it doesn’t fly. We’ve already spent enough money in Iraq to pay for this. And nobody blinks. If we used this money to make us all healthy and keep us all healthy instead of expanding our Empire we would all be better off. We are no longer the United States of America, but to the world we are De Los Imperio de los Estados Unidas with military bases in over 130 countries and territories. Rome looks like Freedonia by comparison.
A recent book by Chalmers Johnson has some interesting documentation of all this at this site: http://www.alternet.org/story/47998/ Seven Hundred and Thirty Seven American bases by this count. The British Empire and the Roman Empire had about the same number to police their worlds. Now we do it. How much does this cost? You don’t want to know. Could we make health care a necessary service the way the Post Office is? Of course. Why not? Big money interests pouring gazillions at this so it won’t work. Congressmen and Senators need to be re-elected every few years and they need LOTS of money for this. How can mortal men (and women) change a system that is paying them to fail? We are a hollow Empire if we cannot amend this system. While we’re out policing the world there could be a massive revolt at home. We haven’t got the guts of the Iranians silently marching in Tehran or of the Tiananmen Square martyrs. Two hundred years ago we might have, what with throwing tea into Boston Harbor and what not. But no more. We’re too fat and lazy. Unhealthfully so. We will collapse on our fat selves in another fifty years or we will take action.
You decide. I’ve got a doctor’s appointment. I hope I have enough money in my checking account for my co-pay.
-30-
By Danny McBride
Yup. That’s what it says at the top of the page. THIS IS NOT A BILL.
Okay fine, but it’s an explanation I can’t understand easily and I’m wondering why I pay so much a month for health insurance that leaves me still owing a ton of money to medical providers and labs.
We have to stop referring to ourselves as a civilized country. We are not civil. We are still as lawless in our behavior toward one another as we were in the days of Tombstone, Arizona in the 1880s- -Wyatt Earp, Doc Holiday and the Clanton Gang- -shoot out at the O K Corral. (By the way, they still re-enact a tourist version every day from 9:30 to 4:30 in the theater located next to the O K Corral.)
By now we all know that there are more than thirty countries that have better health care set-ups than we do. We may have good science in many areas, but our healthcare system is equal to the lawlessness of the old west.
“Doc, Doc, Help me! I’ve been wounded in a shootout.
“Well, first I have some forms for you to fill out. Then I need to get a pre-authorization.”
“Hurry, Doc. I’m hurt real bad.
“Gosh, I’m sorry, Son, but your insurance doesn’t seem to cover random gunshot wounds. You’ll have to just lie there in the street until you stop bleeding. Besides, I’m a dentist and you appear to have all your teeth. I can’t help you, Son. Oh, and be sure to floss.”
We are an ignorant people, a silly people, the dregs of other societies lumped together as one blathering nation of malcontents, bigots, people who hate and hate lots of things- -holocaust museums, doctors, you name it- -and act on their hate by carrying out their own justice with their own guns just like Wyatt and the guys, although we look at Wyatt Earp as one of the good guys. It’s probably because he won the gunfight and survived to the ripe old age of 80, almost 81, dying in 1929 in Hollywood where he worked in the movies as an advisor on westerns. He would have lived longer but he didn’t have good health insurance.
The new administration arrived with all the hope and good will that any President has had in forty years. Those of us who remember those days of yesteryear recall the good feeling all over the country. I guess we hoped for a repeat of that, after years of flamboyant disrespect for the wants and wishes of the American people. But apparently not.
In 2006 the Democrats took over the Congress and Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid became our new leaders. Did you think that something might change? Boy were you wrong. These buzzards run the same show we were entreated to before. Man did that suck. Now we are witnessing the same thing from our hero. Beautiful wife and kids. Sharp and funny. Movie star good looks. A team of supposedly the best and the brightest who will turn everything around. But guess what? Squat. Gitmo. Bailouts. Health care. Re-neg.
He seems to have lost his spine. We were going to close Gitmo, now maybe not. By the way, every time I hear someone say “Gitmo” I am reminded of the song “Guantanamera”, which, of course, is “Gitmo”. Beautiful song one hundred years old. Also used as the “El Pollo Loco” chicken fast food place theme song for their ads. Sing “El Pollo Loco” instead of “Guantanamera”. I digress.
We have shoveled money at the banks that created the financial nightmare.
“Hey, you lost all that money- -here’s some more. Try not to laugh.”
And we are going to invite all parties to the table to solve health care. That’s right, the insurance companies, the pharmaceutical companies, the “for profit” HMOs and hospital and doctor services—you here them advertising. What does air time cost? Fine. It will be added to your bill. It’s a wonder some don’t say “a gratuity has been added to your bill as a courtesy.”
A courtesy??? Why, you…
So, yes, invite the health insurance companies and big pharma to the table, like an old west poker game, and then SHOOT them for cheating, dealing off the bottom, the way Maverick would have done it.
There’s only one way to fix healthcare. Nationalize the whole damn thing.
No more “for profit” medical care.
Having a healthy population is in the country’s best interest. No more pay to play. If I’ve got to go to the hospital, I go. Health care for the common good. No sick people leaning up against me in the subway. Nobody putting off that annual physical or that needed operation. Covered. All of it.
We don’t ask you to put a quarter in a box every time you pass a street light. At that rate you’d never get anywhere. The Water and Power Company is run for the common good. We don’t pay the Fire Department to come to our house but avoid other residences. They are for all, and of course, so are the Police.
“Excuse me, sir, but for us to keep chasing that bad guy it will cost you another fifty bucks.”
Can you imagine that? Well, health care is the same.
We must take over the insurance system and have it be like the military. We don’t ask people to protect and serve only if I send in my contribution. Otherwise we could be under attack and troops wouldn’t move until we all ponied up. Is that nuts, or what? Same deal.
We do incredible science in this country in the service of defense and attack deterrents. Look at our planes. Look at our guns. Hell no- -I ain’t fighting them. And that’s what most of the countries in the world feel as well. Even the so-called Bad Guys. And yet we don’t have to pay up per plane or it doesn’t fly. We’ve already spent enough money in Iraq to pay for this. And nobody blinks. If we used this money to make us all healthy and keep us all healthy instead of expanding our Empire we would all be better off. We are no longer the United States of America, but to the world we are De Los Imperio de los Estados Unidas with military bases in over 130 countries and territories. Rome looks like Freedonia by comparison.
A recent book by Chalmers Johnson has some interesting documentation of all this at this site: http://www.alternet.org/story/47998/ Seven Hundred and Thirty Seven American bases by this count. The British Empire and the Roman Empire had about the same number to police their worlds. Now we do it. How much does this cost? You don’t want to know. Could we make health care a necessary service the way the Post Office is? Of course. Why not? Big money interests pouring gazillions at this so it won’t work. Congressmen and Senators need to be re-elected every few years and they need LOTS of money for this. How can mortal men (and women) change a system that is paying them to fail? We are a hollow Empire if we cannot amend this system. While we’re out policing the world there could be a massive revolt at home. We haven’t got the guts of the Iranians silently marching in Tehran or of the Tiananmen Square martyrs. Two hundred years ago we might have, what with throwing tea into Boston Harbor and what not. But no more. We’re too fat and lazy. Unhealthfully so. We will collapse on our fat selves in another fifty years or we will take action.
You decide. I’ve got a doctor’s appointment. I hope I have enough money in my checking account for my co-pay.
-30-
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Hep Me! Hep Me…I’ve Been Digitized!
Los Angeles, June 7, 2009
By Danny McBride
All I can see is the little cartoon rabbit running away up and downhill yelling “Hep me! Hep me! Somebody hep me!” as the fox chases him, except all of a sudden I can no longer see my favorite little cartoon because- -I’ve been digitized! I didn’t ask for it, I don’t know what it is and even if I did I don’t want it. Who sprung this hoax on us? Why were our usual watchdog groups not paying attention? And why? And why? And a bunch of other questions I can’t think of at the moment!
Some time back the FCC determined that we all should receive digital pictures on our televisions. That’s instead of the analog ones most of us now get. I don’t know what that is either but it’s worked alright since Gunsmoke and Lassie- -60 years of TV and now they decide to mess with it. “Everything’s digital now. TV should be too. You get a better picture” is the conventional wisdom. Over-the-air broadcast stations have been harping on this for months, maybe years, especially PBS. They are afraid that not only will you fail to donate to their pledge drive, you won’t even be able to see the pledge drive or know it’s on. Who will buy all those great hits of the 50s and 60s? (Not me.)
So here’s the deal. Television signals are broadcast from a transmitter from a tall tower. Here in Southern California many are up on the top of Mount Wilson to give them extra height. TV signals are like FM- -they are “line of sight”. If your antenna can’t “see” the transmitting tower then you won’t get a signal. Not to confuse but to explain- -AM radio signals bounce from the earth to the ionosphere and create a large continuing W pattern. That’s why you can receive signals from far a way- -I can get Seattle sometimes and San Francisco all the time here in Los Angeles. But it’s also why you can’t get AM radio going under a bridge or in a tunnel. FM travels along the ground so you DO get FM under the bridge or in the tunnel. But they don’t travel anywhere near as far as AM signals. Same idea with these new TV signals. Old analog signals which may have traveled a hundred miles may now only go 40 as digital signals.
But wait!! I have cable, So I don’t need a converter box. The cable company will do that all for me. Besides, so many of the channels I watch are not broadcast but cable or satellite only. Comedy Central, MSNBC, CNN, ESPN, TCM, HBO, ENCORE, TBS are all satellite delivered to my cable company, translated (most have some sort of code on them so you can’t get the code unlocked unless you subscribe) to a signal that’s sent to my cable box and then to my TV. Amazing science. Now comes the converter box. It’s only necessary for those with over-the-air TVs who DO NOT HAVE cable or satellite TV.
All the major networks- -NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX - -are affiliated with over the air stations, mostly in the lower numbers- -2, 4, 5, 7, 11, etc- -and those are the people who are freaking out that you won’t be able to see them without a converter box if you watch them with rabbit ears or some kind of antenna system on your roof. “Rabbit” ears. I wonder if the fox caught the rabbit. More on that in a moment.
But many people have been worried that they don’t have the right equipment to get “Blondie the Bubble-Head” on the 6:00 o’clock news who will tell you all about the local tragedies of the day- -car wrecks, family shootings, all the fun stuff. Especially my 93-year-old Mother-in Law. She has cable so she doesn’t need to worry. But still she worries because of the campaigns carried on by the stations that want you to switch to this new system. You see, they can use their old analog frequencies as rentals to cell phone companies, among others, as an additional source of income. Also, the next time you buy a new TV set it will have to conform to these new specifics. I wonder if it will cost more? And somebody’s got to be paid for making those converter boxes. I know there are discount coupons now but still they are an extra expense for some- -the elderly, disabled, low-income and non-English-speaking viewers who may be left without a picture. To me it’s one of those “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” kind of things. But we have the technology, people in the right positions can make money from it, so why not do it? Just one more nutsy thing we can do and call it “progress”. Like the Flowbee.
Oh, and the rabbit? Well, once when my daughter was very young the cable went out, which it does from time to time (as in Time-Warner). She was watching Nickelodeon, a cable only channel. I said I was sorry I couldn’t fix this problem, the cable guys had to do it, but we could watch cartoons on FOX on the old TV with the rabbit ears.
“Rabbit ears?” She was almost sobbing.
“Don’t worry, honey” I said. “No rabbits were harmed in the making of this TV set”.
-30-
By Danny McBride
All I can see is the little cartoon rabbit running away up and downhill yelling “Hep me! Hep me! Somebody hep me!” as the fox chases him, except all of a sudden I can no longer see my favorite little cartoon because- -I’ve been digitized! I didn’t ask for it, I don’t know what it is and even if I did I don’t want it. Who sprung this hoax on us? Why were our usual watchdog groups not paying attention? And why? And why? And a bunch of other questions I can’t think of at the moment!
Some time back the FCC determined that we all should receive digital pictures on our televisions. That’s instead of the analog ones most of us now get. I don’t know what that is either but it’s worked alright since Gunsmoke and Lassie- -60 years of TV and now they decide to mess with it. “Everything’s digital now. TV should be too. You get a better picture” is the conventional wisdom. Over-the-air broadcast stations have been harping on this for months, maybe years, especially PBS. They are afraid that not only will you fail to donate to their pledge drive, you won’t even be able to see the pledge drive or know it’s on. Who will buy all those great hits of the 50s and 60s? (Not me.)
So here’s the deal. Television signals are broadcast from a transmitter from a tall tower. Here in Southern California many are up on the top of Mount Wilson to give them extra height. TV signals are like FM- -they are “line of sight”. If your antenna can’t “see” the transmitting tower then you won’t get a signal. Not to confuse but to explain- -AM radio signals bounce from the earth to the ionosphere and create a large continuing W pattern. That’s why you can receive signals from far a way- -I can get Seattle sometimes and San Francisco all the time here in Los Angeles. But it’s also why you can’t get AM radio going under a bridge or in a tunnel. FM travels along the ground so you DO get FM under the bridge or in the tunnel. But they don’t travel anywhere near as far as AM signals. Same idea with these new TV signals. Old analog signals which may have traveled a hundred miles may now only go 40 as digital signals.
But wait!! I have cable, So I don’t need a converter box. The cable company will do that all for me. Besides, so many of the channels I watch are not broadcast but cable or satellite only. Comedy Central, MSNBC, CNN, ESPN, TCM, HBO, ENCORE, TBS are all satellite delivered to my cable company, translated (most have some sort of code on them so you can’t get the code unlocked unless you subscribe) to a signal that’s sent to my cable box and then to my TV. Amazing science. Now comes the converter box. It’s only necessary for those with over-the-air TVs who DO NOT HAVE cable or satellite TV.
All the major networks- -NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX - -are affiliated with over the air stations, mostly in the lower numbers- -2, 4, 5, 7, 11, etc- -and those are the people who are freaking out that you won’t be able to see them without a converter box if you watch them with rabbit ears or some kind of antenna system on your roof. “Rabbit” ears. I wonder if the fox caught the rabbit. More on that in a moment.
But many people have been worried that they don’t have the right equipment to get “Blondie the Bubble-Head” on the 6:00 o’clock news who will tell you all about the local tragedies of the day- -car wrecks, family shootings, all the fun stuff. Especially my 93-year-old Mother-in Law. She has cable so she doesn’t need to worry. But still she worries because of the campaigns carried on by the stations that want you to switch to this new system. You see, they can use their old analog frequencies as rentals to cell phone companies, among others, as an additional source of income. Also, the next time you buy a new TV set it will have to conform to these new specifics. I wonder if it will cost more? And somebody’s got to be paid for making those converter boxes. I know there are discount coupons now but still they are an extra expense for some- -the elderly, disabled, low-income and non-English-speaking viewers who may be left without a picture. To me it’s one of those “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” kind of things. But we have the technology, people in the right positions can make money from it, so why not do it? Just one more nutsy thing we can do and call it “progress”. Like the Flowbee.
Oh, and the rabbit? Well, once when my daughter was very young the cable went out, which it does from time to time (as in Time-Warner). She was watching Nickelodeon, a cable only channel. I said I was sorry I couldn’t fix this problem, the cable guys had to do it, but we could watch cartoons on FOX on the old TV with the rabbit ears.
“Rabbit ears?” She was almost sobbing.
“Don’t worry, honey” I said. “No rabbits were harmed in the making of this TV set”.
-30-
Thursday, June 4, 2009
The Leadership Vacuum
Los Angeles, June 2, 2009
By Danny McBride
I picture David Oreck in one of his self promotional TV ads for his vacuum cleaners.
“Hi, I’m David Oreck, and this is the new Oreck 20-12 Leadership Vacuum.” He squints into the TV with his rodentesque glare. “I’m so sure you’ll like my Oreck 20-12 Leadership Vacuum that I’ll give you your money back, and a toaster oven and quality hair dryer if you don’t like it. In fact, I’ll give you whatever piece-of-crap small appliance you want. But you’ll love it, because this 20-12 Leadership Vacuum really sucks. Try my new Oreck Leadership Vacuum. You’ll be glad you did.”
So that’s why Dick Cheney is on TV all the time. He’s trying to wrest control of the Republican image from Pompous Blowhards like Roach Limbo and Newt Gin-Grinch., the Grinch who stole the Tanqueray…Fat white men with lots of money. And also wriggle it from the Know-Nothing branch of the Republican Party lead by Sarah and Todd Palin and Mitch McConnell and John Boehner. These people haven’t got the brains God gave geese, but there are millions in this country who think they are right on. Shoot a moose for Jesus. How many Joe the Plumbers does it take to clean out a drain pipe? I suppose just one if it’s not too full of crap. By the way, Joe has a book out. Not bad for a guy who never read one. I saw him interviewed on Bill Maher. Does the phrase “fence post, dumber than” come to mind? It was painful to watch. This guy is so ignorant that Maher basically gave up on the interview and said thanks for coming. It was dreadful.
Dick Cheney misses being president. He may actually have designs on the office he once said he wasn’t interested in. Political brilliance. Usually sitting Vice-Presidents get to go for the big prize after their eight years of going to funerals of heads of state. But Dick said “no”, leaving a Leadership Vacuum that brought out people like Reverend Huckabee, Tom Tancredo, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney and , and…John McCain. In an election they have no chance of winning, the GOP lets one of their dotting old senior heads have their chance in the limelight- -think Bob Dole in 1996, or Gerald Ford in 76 or Barry Goldwater in 64 or any of the guys Franklin Roosevelt Beat. Name one.
So with Palin, McCain, Tancredo, et al dispatched to the hinter lands, others step forward. Huckabee gets a TV show and Romney, who bowed out graciously before the end, steps back into the limelight with speeches and flesh presser events. But Cheney is grabbing at power he already knows first hand. I can hear him now off stage growling “It’s mine, mine, all mine”. It’s all very clever and calculated politics. With the Know-Nothings gone and the Blowhards in decline, “serious” leaders may now step forth. Except there aren’t really any at this point. You have to figure Cheney thinks he can win next time counting on Obama to not get done anything he said he would. Cheney is already trying to set the agenda for this next four years by all his recent appearances. The more you show up the more seriously Charles Krauthammer is going to take you.
Now Cheney has moved on. He has emerged as a leading critic of the Obama administration over its handling of national security and economic issues. He appeared recently at The Washington Press Club reiterating his defense of the Bush administration's handling of the economy, its decision to go to war in Iraq and its approval of coercive interrogation tactics widely viewed as torture. And now he’s moved on to same-sex marriage. He’s for it, especially since his lesbian daughter Mary and her life partner Heather Poe have a son, Samuel, born to Mary Cheney in 2007. There’s nothing like being Grandpa to soften the heart of an old cold warrior. Although, come to think of it, we don’t want his heart softened too much. All the spare parts might fall out.
So Mitt is gearing up to become public again, although being part of the funny undies crowd that passed Prop 8 in California will not help him. His image of a used car salesman from late night TV as much as hurts as helps his campaign. Yes, he’s trying to appeal to dumb Republicans for primaries, and that snake oil TV evangelist look helps there, but should he ever get the nod he couldn’t compete with Obama 2.
Huckabee is just on TV to stay in the public eye. A Baptist minister and an excellent broadcaster he has the media skills and the direct line to God that a Republican really needs these days. After all, he did come in second to McCain. He’s not going away. McCain will try for another Senate term in 2010, but in all reality, should actually be planning his retirement now. He’s already in Arizona. Just go home.
But Dick Cheney has the power base, the money crowd and what passes for common sense to many Americans. He doesn’t need to go to Iowa to shake hands or New Hampshire or anywhere really. He can just appear on TV from The American Enterprise Institute, have a nice lunch, and return to his new undisclosed location. (Joe Biden gave away the secret of his previous warren…yes…Earl the Warren. Never mind.) Cable news will cover whatever he says as though it were news, even though he has no official job or current place in the American hierarchy of government. And when you can campaign from the TV studio, you are one up on The Rose Garden campaign. They can’t see you being wheeled in and leaned up against the podium. He’s already eliminated most of his primary opponents.
Is he Darth Vader, Dr Evil, or one of those Lizard Aliens?
I vote for Lizard Alien. Watch his tongue. He’s already catching flies like a toad on a log in between lines in his speeches. Zap! He got him! A roach in limbo.
-30-
By Danny McBride
I picture David Oreck in one of his self promotional TV ads for his vacuum cleaners.
“Hi, I’m David Oreck, and this is the new Oreck 20-12 Leadership Vacuum.” He squints into the TV with his rodentesque glare. “I’m so sure you’ll like my Oreck 20-12 Leadership Vacuum that I’ll give you your money back, and a toaster oven and quality hair dryer if you don’t like it. In fact, I’ll give you whatever piece-of-crap small appliance you want. But you’ll love it, because this 20-12 Leadership Vacuum really sucks. Try my new Oreck Leadership Vacuum. You’ll be glad you did.”
So that’s why Dick Cheney is on TV all the time. He’s trying to wrest control of the Republican image from Pompous Blowhards like Roach Limbo and Newt Gin-Grinch., the Grinch who stole the Tanqueray…Fat white men with lots of money. And also wriggle it from the Know-Nothing branch of the Republican Party lead by Sarah and Todd Palin and Mitch McConnell and John Boehner. These people haven’t got the brains God gave geese, but there are millions in this country who think they are right on. Shoot a moose for Jesus. How many Joe the Plumbers does it take to clean out a drain pipe? I suppose just one if it’s not too full of crap. By the way, Joe has a book out. Not bad for a guy who never read one. I saw him interviewed on Bill Maher. Does the phrase “fence post, dumber than” come to mind? It was painful to watch. This guy is so ignorant that Maher basically gave up on the interview and said thanks for coming. It was dreadful.
Dick Cheney misses being president. He may actually have designs on the office he once said he wasn’t interested in. Political brilliance. Usually sitting Vice-Presidents get to go for the big prize after their eight years of going to funerals of heads of state. But Dick said “no”, leaving a Leadership Vacuum that brought out people like Reverend Huckabee, Tom Tancredo, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney and , and…John McCain. In an election they have no chance of winning, the GOP lets one of their dotting old senior heads have their chance in the limelight- -think Bob Dole in 1996, or Gerald Ford in 76 or Barry Goldwater in 64 or any of the guys Franklin Roosevelt Beat. Name one.
So with Palin, McCain, Tancredo, et al dispatched to the hinter lands, others step forward. Huckabee gets a TV show and Romney, who bowed out graciously before the end, steps back into the limelight with speeches and flesh presser events. But Cheney is grabbing at power he already knows first hand. I can hear him now off stage growling “It’s mine, mine, all mine”. It’s all very clever and calculated politics. With the Know-Nothings gone and the Blowhards in decline, “serious” leaders may now step forth. Except there aren’t really any at this point. You have to figure Cheney thinks he can win next time counting on Obama to not get done anything he said he would. Cheney is already trying to set the agenda for this next four years by all his recent appearances. The more you show up the more seriously Charles Krauthammer is going to take you.
Now Cheney has moved on. He has emerged as a leading critic of the Obama administration over its handling of national security and economic issues. He appeared recently at The Washington Press Club reiterating his defense of the Bush administration's handling of the economy, its decision to go to war in Iraq and its approval of coercive interrogation tactics widely viewed as torture. And now he’s moved on to same-sex marriage. He’s for it, especially since his lesbian daughter Mary and her life partner Heather Poe have a son, Samuel, born to Mary Cheney in 2007. There’s nothing like being Grandpa to soften the heart of an old cold warrior. Although, come to think of it, we don’t want his heart softened too much. All the spare parts might fall out.
So Mitt is gearing up to become public again, although being part of the funny undies crowd that passed Prop 8 in California will not help him. His image of a used car salesman from late night TV as much as hurts as helps his campaign. Yes, he’s trying to appeal to dumb Republicans for primaries, and that snake oil TV evangelist look helps there, but should he ever get the nod he couldn’t compete with Obama 2.
Huckabee is just on TV to stay in the public eye. A Baptist minister and an excellent broadcaster he has the media skills and the direct line to God that a Republican really needs these days. After all, he did come in second to McCain. He’s not going away. McCain will try for another Senate term in 2010, but in all reality, should actually be planning his retirement now. He’s already in Arizona. Just go home.
But Dick Cheney has the power base, the money crowd and what passes for common sense to many Americans. He doesn’t need to go to Iowa to shake hands or New Hampshire or anywhere really. He can just appear on TV from The American Enterprise Institute, have a nice lunch, and return to his new undisclosed location. (Joe Biden gave away the secret of his previous warren…yes…Earl the Warren. Never mind.) Cable news will cover whatever he says as though it were news, even though he has no official job or current place in the American hierarchy of government. And when you can campaign from the TV studio, you are one up on The Rose Garden campaign. They can’t see you being wheeled in and leaned up against the podium. He’s already eliminated most of his primary opponents.
Is he Darth Vader, Dr Evil, or one of those Lizard Aliens?
I vote for Lizard Alien. Watch his tongue. He’s already catching flies like a toad on a log in between lines in his speeches. Zap! He got him! A roach in limbo.
-30-
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