Another currently relevant comic by The Atheist Pig…
(click the image to see it full-size at TheAtheistPig.com)
Politics
Yep.
An insightful excerpt from this article:
And right now the Republican Party accommodates too much quackery, belligerence and misplaced moralism to play a fully credible part in a vital, essential debate about the size and scope of government.
I make special note of the phrase "right now" because the Republican Party was not always that way. The editorial also notes that there’s hope, which is encouraging.
Gas prices
Interestingly, back when gas prices were hitting the $4.00 per gallon mark, the right-wing was absurdly shouting blame at President Obama for the increase. Now that gas prices have dropped around sixty cents, I don’t think I’ve read or heard a single peep from that same right-wing group thanking the president for lowering prices… or even acknowledging the drop.
It’d be nonsense, either way, since the president has little, if anything, to do with gas prices, but it’s amusingly hypocritical. No doubt, there would be some "explanation" about how Obama was responsible for the increase, but not the decrease.
The Common Loon
At the "State" Fair at my daughter’s school today (where all the students show off the projects they did about their selected US state), I just found out that the state bird of Minnesota is the Common Loon (also known as the Great Northern Loon).
It struck me as wholly appropriate, given that Minnesota is the home state of Michele Bachmann.
It’s got to be a coincidence, right? Right?!
Great quotes about marriage equality
I had planned to write something about Obama’s announcement regarding his support for marriage equality (which was long overdue, I think), but decided to just post a couple quotes I found in a discussion thread started by Phil Plait.
From Steve Keller:
"Language and culture" do not define marriage or its purpose. The laws put in place that provide the legal benefits and responsibility of marriage do. Being denied those benefits and responsibilities because someone else says you don’t deserve them – well, that right there is the very definition of a civil rights violation.
From Owen Roberts:
It is a VERY simple issue. You either believe in human rights or you don’t. i.e. You believe that the same rights apply to ALL humans, or you believe that some are more deserving than others.
I (heart) Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart addresses the birth control mandate and the oppositions claims of “religious persecution” and “wars” on religion.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| The Vagina Ideologues – Sean Hannity’s Holy Sausage Fest | ||||
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Republican Debate 1/8/2012
The one thing that really stands out to me about the debate this morning is, with a few notable exceptions, the almost universal refusal to answer or even acknowledge the question being asked.
Update: Amusingly, as soon as I posted this, there were 5 or 6 questions in a row that were answered directly.
It seems that, for the most part, when a question is asked that can be easily answered with a candidate’s prepared and rehearsed talking points, the question gets answered. If it’s not, the question is avoided and/or ignored.
There are some good points being made by most,if not all, of the candidates at one time or another.
Update Again: No surprise, but Gingrich is really confirming the impression that he’s a petty little blowhard.
I agree with Bachmann. Oh… nevermind.
In yesterday’s Republican debate, Michele Bachmann made an uncharacteristically lucid comment regarding Newt Gingrich’s claim that “I did no lobbying of any kind for any organization.” (Freddie and Fannie)
Said Bachmann…
You don’t need to be within the technical definition of being a lobbyist to still be influence-peddling.
Gingrich comes off as very Clinton’esque when he makes his “I didn’t lobby” claims.
Of course, at another point during the debate, Bachmann headed back to her comfortable but loopy world of sunshine and rainbows.
I think it’s just outrageous to continue to say over and over throughout the debates that I don’t have my facts right, when it as a matter of fact, I do. I’m a serious candidate for president of the United States, and my facts are accurate.
Ummmm…
That sounds very much like, “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me.”
BadLipReading and Michele Bachmann
I saw this the other day and was stunned because of how well done it is… the substituted words match up perfectly with her mouth movements.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFB6LQ1-WKU
I’m also amused at the first comment.
It’s more coherent than she usually is.
