Don't Ruin American Healthcare!

"The uninsured don't deserve health insurance, only the old!"

Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood

Almost a month ago I posted on this blog a comment originally published on Sonoran Alliance. I didn't write the words of that comment, but the name appearing with that comment caused me pause. Bruce Ash. It struck me as a vile little work certainly beneath Mr. Ash. Sadly, I may be mistaken.

When another post, this time at Ted Prezelski's Rum, Romanism and Rebellion received a comment from someone calling themselves Bruce Ash I thought I should seize the opportunity. I asked if that Mr. Ash was aware of some of the words attributed to the other Mr. Ash. Then I wrote something snarky, but seriously, by my standards it was mild. And I love my readers, all of you, but let's face it, we could all fit around just about any table available at Sam Levitz. So I went where the eyes are and....

....the Mr. Ash who responded on Tedski's blog really let me have it! Boy. Ouch.

He didn't, however, address any of my questions. Now, in the rough-and-tumble world of partisan politics one could, perhaps should, assume the non-response is a, "yes." In fact one of my favorite commentators, Eli_Blake, did just that and then shared what I found to be a sensible and heartfelt reason why Nazi and fascist comparisons shouldn't be tossed around casually by anyone...it cheapens the suffering.

I remember my first visit to Drinking Liberally, when a left-wing nut job tossed out a, "he's a nazi" at some Republican like it was a sneeze. I winced, you would have, too. And then I spoke the first words I ever spoke at DL. I don't remember the actual words but I basically stated that those comparisons are out of line for anyone, the description is a term of art. My Grandfather did not spend all those years in North Africa and Europe fighting people with whom he had a political disagreement, so don't cheapen his sacrifice.

So, this whole "Nazi and/or fascist" attack on our President REALLY FUCKING PISSES ME OFF.

Back to the comment posted at Sonoran Alliance; it all began with a video of celebrities and such taking a pledge to help our newly elected President by taking personal responsibility for something said celebrity could control. Why am I explaining this? Roll tape:



Yeah, I don't know why she did that to her hair either. All of them. But back to the pledges. I don't see what the big deal is, yeah it's wordy, but most of these star type peoples get script approval so whatta ya gonna do? And it looks like Ashton was directing because it had that edgy 'Punk'd' feel to it, good luck with that. But that's all it is, some adults who get way too much attention for too little reason.

It seems to me, Mr. Ash, you were offended by a sense of fealty in the video. Me? Not so much, but I can see how someone else might. I mean, what if they tried to make children in school listen to President Obama talk about personal responsibility? That might make people really freak out! Yes, I'm still working on an ironic voice for my writing. Maybe you and I can agree on this video, you see it goes one step further by making small....oh, I forgot....roll tape!



Dude, seriously? We put up with that shit? Oh, now I remember. If we didn't put up with that...uh, stuff, we got called un-american and people tried to ruin other people's career (Dixie Chicks, Valerie Plame, a slew of US attorney's).

Back to you, Mr. Ash. You are a big deal. You are a member of the Republican National Committee! I know that because it says so on your blog, Ash for Arizona, just beneath your name emblazoned over an homage to our state flag. I know it's not a reproduction of our state flag because that would be tacky and it's stretched out so Senator Kyl's head can fit on your banner.

Anyway, YOU, Mr. Ash are a big deal. Here's a secret, I have always felt that those like you, who rise to responsibility within our political party's not only have ability but a sense of duty to our country. I mean why else would you donate almost $40,000 to Republicans in the last five years? It's your ability and patriotism that allowed you to rise to leadership within your party. And the $40,000 ish is really just for the years 2004-2008, but still! As a leader of your party you must sometimes deal with those who, although a part of your "coalition" you may not have much anything else in common but because you are a leader you appeal to the "better angels of their nature," or something like that.



That's what leaders do, and barring that, people who have websites that sound like campaign slogans can do that too!

You are right my friend, there are a bunch of angry folks out there who want their country back, but just between you and me, Mr. Ash, do you think they want you and me in it?

"Americans" for Prosperity, Theirs

Image by Rep. Virginia Foxx via Flickr

The folks dispensing petro-dollars to Tom Jenney and Shane Wikfors to whip up despair and misinformation on health care reform here in Arizona (just wait for the Energy bill!) were having a little conference in Virginia (very un-DC) when news of America's Olympic bid broke. Here's what those teabagging patriots did in reaction:



Next time a teabagger tells you she is fighting to get her country back ask her, 'which country?' It's almost as if they have seceded from the United States in their mind.

Not to put too Fine a Point on this, but...

Image via Wikipedia

A relatively obnoxious blog posted photo copies of some alleged travel documents for one Charles Jensen. Mr. Jensen's name purportedly appeared on a list of clients for an escort service. Mr. Jensen claims he was out of town on the dates listed for "service" and believes a tenant of his may have been the actual "john." Obnoxious blog goes on to take a whack at Brett "vroom vroom" Mecum, Executive Director of the Arizona Republican Party and uses the opportunity to allege Mr. Mecum is not always a gentleman and sometimes a cad.

Good times.

When the other side is eating its' own my rule is to get out of the way but I have another rule that overrides in just such a case. My, "if a Republican uses the words 'CASE CLOSED' in capital letters there's probably more 'splaining to do, rule.

This is what I think; the documents supplied by Mr. Jensen (via that obnoxious blog) do not prove he was out of town on the days corresponding to the "Desert Divas" list. They prove his credit card was out-of-town but not necessarily Mr. Jensen. Mr. Jensen would do well to supply boarding passes that show he checked in for his flights or better, a copy of his frequent flier account statement that proves his non-prostitute needing body was on those flights and not, perhaps, "ordering in." One other question, do any of the "Desert Divas" records show the use of Pay-Pal for services rendered?

Just saying.

Gila Courier Seeks Integrity

Image by Nationaal Archief via Flickr

The folks who brought you a misreading due to stupidity or dishonesty (take your pick) of a post at RealClearPolitics seem to be backing away. Today the Gila Courier posted a piece about the Giffords fundraiser attended by VP Biden. No where in the article do they make the assertion that they boldly made in a tweet last night.

I guess their goal was accomplished. Some twits retweeted Gila Courier's lie and now they don't have the integrity to pull it back or apologize.

Teabaggerz read minds

The post below was about a big time blog that can't be bothered with facts, a local blog that will write anything to hit Rep. Giffords and a bunch of twits who will RT (retweet) anything, fact-based or not. One of those twitterers got back to me:

@kennyjacobs Yes, blog did say debates wr nuts; however, I stuck w/ rt b/c only the attendees could make them that way in her mind #tucson

I sent this gentleman a direct message, he chose to "spread the word." What we have here is a person who claims to read minds, doesn't care if Gabby actually said something she was quoted as saying AND wants to make sure lots of people know he did this. So, who is really concerned about lies and the folks who repeat those lies?

This is a succinct explanation of the Tea Baggerz movement.

Real Clear it's Politics

Image via Wikipedia

Gabrielle Giffords is kinda a big deal. She's a successful Democratic Congresswoman in a red district. She is so successful, in fact, that it's unlikely anyone of consequence will mount a challenge to her in the foreseeable future. None have announced as of now.

While Congress is in session there are often fundraisers back east, and Rep. Giffords was toasted by some good folks back in Delaware including Vice-President Biden. See? She is a big deal! When the VP shows up so do the press. One of the outlets at this event is the opinion blog from right-of-center, Real Clear Politics.

But something must have happened during the translation of the article in Real Clear Politics (RCP) to a Twitter on behalf of the Southern Arizona blog Gila Courier. Gila Courier made it sound like Gabby said something she wasn't quoted as saying. Shocking, right?

Here's the deal, in RCP Gabby is quoted describing the August of Crazy Town Hall fiascoes in Southern Arizona as being "nuts."

Here's the RCP quote:

Giffords referred to the town hall debates of August in her district as "totally nuts."

Here's how it appeared in the Gila Courier's tweet:

At her fundraiser hosted by VP Joe Biden, Giffords says voters "totally nuts." http://bit.ly/kZirw
Mon 21 Sep 20:13 via web

See what they did there? How cute! Gila Courier implied that Giffords thinks the voters are crazy except she didn't say that. How did "Southern Arizona's Leading Conservative Blog" get that so wrong? Could it be that a leading teabagger outfit is so desperate to lay something on Gabby that they made up a quote? Maybe it's simply not being able to read with comprehension? What about all the Twitter teabaggerz who simply RT (retweet) without bothering to read the RCP article in question? It's like they don't care if what they repeat is accurate or not, just so it adds up to what they want to be true. Gosh.



And about that piece in RCP; Rep. Giffords is married to Mark Kelly. He's an astronaut, an active duty naval aviator. His last name is not Giffords as it states in your sorry-ass effort, you big-timey bloggy outfit. Who told you that Congresswoman Giffords' husbands last name is Giffords? Who edited your article? Is there anything is this attempted hit-and-run that is accurate? Ace reporting there, you guys back east are AWESOME!

For those who find this post incredible here are the screen shots:

RCP (with

and the shot of the Gila twot