Apocalypse Now

I'm too overwhelmed this morning by the right wing response to the SCOTUS decision upholding "Obamacare" so I'm going to direct you to Wonkette's excellent summary. Bear in mind that Rush Limbaugh devoted some time today to complaining that the left is marginalizing the right by making them appear insane. The left, for example, might mock this tweet by Ben Shapiro:

This is the greatest destruction of individual liberty since Dred Scott. This is the end of America as we know it. No exaggeration.

Or me might ridicule the several people who weighed in with this dire threat. We'll miss you guys! Incidentally I've been watching a little CBC lately and it's distressingly like American TV, only milder.

I want to end on a positive note so kudos to John Boehner, who was able to keep his brethren in line. Didn't see any one of those guys spiking the ball!

The Platform

Mitt Romney, as you know, has no opinions of his own. When he refuses to comment on something it's not because he's being cagey; it's because he doesn't know yet what you want him to believe in. In any event, it matters less who is President than who has majorities in the House and Senate; those people are the ones who make all the laws. So what is the Republican platform?

Let's start with an actual platform, from the Texas State GOP.

We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority.

So, they oppose critical thinking. (Yes, it's true that there is some background to this but if that's what they really mean, maybe put THAT in the platform.)

Huge amounts of money given by a corporation to a candidate cannot cause corruption. Well, that's good news! Go get 'em, Soros!

Death panels are bad, but it's great to kill off people who can't pay for medical care.

Science Wins Again

Now and then someone will question the science of Evolution, which is widely acknowledged. If you claim that it doesn't exist, then the burden of proof is on you, right? So how can you PROVE that there is no such thing as evolution? Finally a school in Westlake, Louisiana points out the obvious.

"Are dinosaurs alive today? Scientists are becoming more convinced of their existence. Have you heard of the 'Loch Ness Monster' in Scotland? 'Nessie' for short has been recorded on sonar from a small submarine, described by eyewitnesses, and photographed by others. Nessie appears to be a plesiosaur."

See? SEE? The very existence of the Loch Ness monster proves there's no such thing as evolution!   Case closed!

Quote Of The Day: Beyond That, Whatevs Edition

“He is the leader of our party from now until November."

- Mitch McConnell, explaining why he won't disagree with Romney about the Dream Act today.

More and more, Romney is starting to look like a good choice for President. He'll legislate like Obama (right toward the center), nothing significant will get done because the tea party will filibuster it (just like they do Obama) and he'll spend the next four years fighting with the Republicans. What's the difference? With Obama it's frustrating. With Romney, it would be hilarious.

A Piece Of Work

It would be great if he got to appear before female judges, yes?

Gretchen Carlson Deserts the War On Women

Female Fox Anchor Walks Off Set After Co-Host’s Sexist Joke: Don't let those women-hatin' Democrats on Fox And Friends upset you Gretchen! Run to the arms of Rush Limbaugh and let him talk you back down!

And make me a cup o' coffee, honey.

Republicans Learn That Non-Christian Is Also A Religion

You know how all those Republicans are insisting that we should offer vouchers so people can choose private schools instead of going to those Godless public ones? In New Orleans, that philosophy is hitting a little snag.

Rep. Kenneth Havard, R-Jackson, objected to including the Islamic School of Greater New Orleans in a list of schools approved by the education department to accept as many as 38 voucher students. Havard said he wouldn't support any spending plan that "will fund Islamic teaching.""I won't go back home and explain to my people that I supported this," he said.
"It'll be the Church of Scientology next year," said Rep. Sam Jones, D-Franklin.
Carter, R-Baton Rouge, said the Islamic school withdrew its request to participate in the voucher program.
"They're not interested. The system works," he said.

So basically vouchers for all private schools as long as the government approves the curriculum? If only there was a system of schools that already had government approval, maybe a system that costs less than the private school system! 

White On White Crime *UPDATED*

I dunno, what do you think. Is this the way that Stand Your Ground is supposed to work?

*UPDATE*  Reassuringly even a Texas Jury has decided that stand your ground doesn't apply to this case. I'm honestly a little less worked up about the law now, if such obvious violations can be seen as such. Of course, if those neighbors had been wearing hoodies, maybe they'd still be in chambers, deciding.

No, the DEMOCRATS Are Waging War On Cops

Mitt Romney said this late last week: “[Obama] says we need more firemen, more policemen, more teachers,” said Romney. “Did he not get the message of Wisconsin? The American people did. It’s time for us to cut back on government and help the American people.” He didn't mean to imply that we don't need more firemen, policemen or teachers though. Although everybody knows they are unionized, and therefore union thugs.

But if you're trend-watching, note that it is a Republican who has finally made a move to put these union cop thugs in their place: Mitch Daniels.

Governor Mitch Daniels, a Republican, has authorized changes to a 2006 legislation that legalizes the use of deadly force on a public servant — including an officer of the law — in cases of “unlawful intrusion.” Proponents of both the Second and Fourth Amendments — those that allow for the ownership of firearms and the security against unlawful searches, respectively — are celebrating the update by saying it ensures that residents are protected from authorities that abuse the powers of the badge. 

Although critics have been quick to condemn the law for opening the door for assaults on police officers, supporters say that it is necessary to implement the ideals brought by America’s forefathers. Especially, argue some, since the Indiana Supreme Court almost eliminated the Fourth Amendment entirely last year. During the 2011 case of Barnes v. State of Indiana, the court ruled that a man who assaulted an officer dispatched to his house had broken the law before there was “no right to reasonably resist unlawful entry by police officers.” In turn, the National Rifle Association lobbied for an amendment to the Castle Doctrine to ensure that residents were protected from officers that abuse the law to grant themselves entry into private space.

Thank God we're safe now, and a guy cooking meth in his place can shoot first and ask questions later! Finally, cops will take the trouble to hamstring themselves with warrants before they make a move! Just like Republicans have always wanted.

A Little Something to Look Forward To In The Fall

“I like the platform that we have right now. I’m concerned that Ron Paul and some of his supporters out there are looking for a platform fight. And I want to make sure that we have strong, principled conservatives there who stood with me in our primary fight to go there and counterbalance the effect of the Paul folks,” said Mr. Santorum on ABC’s This Week. 

The Pennsylvania Republican, who exited the race for the Republican nomination in late April, has endorsed former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney — the presumptive Republican nominee. While Mr. Santorum says he plans to support Mr. Romney’s bid, in recent days a growing divide between Mr. Santorum and Mr. Paul has grown.

I can think of no better time for the Republican party platform to be publicly influenced by Santorum and Paul than AS CLOSE TO THE ELECTION AS POSSIBLE. America loves those guys! That's why they're doing so well in the primaries.

Speculation that Mr. Paul could use his delegates to influence the direction of the Republican Party comes just one week after his campaign released an email saying they plan to send upwards of 200 to 500 delegates that could persuade Mr. Romney to change his policy.

Look up the definition of "overkill" in the dictionary, and you'll find using any kind of persuasion to make Mitt Romney to change his policy.

A Great Visual Metaphor

This is how Republicans treat health care law - instead of helping to craft it, they shoot holes into it so they can get votes.

Colbert Nails It Again

Check out the illustration - bears ARE the nation's number one threat!

I Was Wrong About Orly Taitz

Yes I made fun of her when she announced that she was running for a California senate position against Diane Feinstein. Yes we had a primary election yesterday out here. We have a new system where the candidates are the top two vote getters, whatever party. They're still tallying, and Ms. Taitz came up 4th.

Still I can't help but think she was thinking about the other famous election in Minnesota* Wisconsin when she said these things.

I will update you on the numbers, as more ballots are received, however the numbers are suspiciously off all 4 polls taken from March 7 until June 3rd. This is the reason, why first and for most (sic) we need transparency in the voting mchines. (sic) 

At the moment nobody has a clue, how these machines are programmed. There is a high probability that different values were given to votes cast for different candidates. In Germany all electronic voting machines and electronic balot (sic) counting machines were banned because those are so easily rigged.

She, like Stuart Varney, is a real American. She doubts the results of the Minnesota election, because it's so different from the polling. And its not like Scott Walker is above chicanery - he's being investigated on criminal charges relating to political cheating. Fight, Democrats! Don't take the so-called "results" at face value!

* thanks, perpetually anonymous commentor!

A Word To The Wise

Somebody please call upstairs to Ariana Huffington; I don't think she knows that her name is attached to this.

People You Trust, Telling You To Not Vote For Mitt

They all endorse him now, because he has given them money.

Conservative Bloggers Found With B Carved in Faces

Take note! You'll never get away with this, Brett Kimberlin!

Frey was awoken shortly after midnight by sheriff deputies after they received a call about a shooting inside his home.

In a purported recording of the 911 call, the caller can be heard saying: “I’d like to report a shooting … I shot her, my wife.” Police ordered him at gunpoint to get outside, then handcuffed him until completing a search and finding his wife and children safe.

Frey said talks with nationwide experts suggested this was a case of SWAT-ing and says he and all other victims have written about activist and convicted felon Brett Kimberlin, who Frey believes is behind the attacks.

Frey knows Kimberlin is behind the attacks because, what? He has no other enemies? Anyway, for now, Kimberlin refuses to admit that he did this horrible thing to Frey or Erik Erikson, whoever he is. Anyway it's an election year and the Democrats always turn violent around those times.