tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post7234834191693129454..comments2024-03-29T05:03:05.347+02:00Comments on Dispatches from Vilnius: The 112th US CongressJames Fergusonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-80285569247838896042011-01-12T04:48:10.339+02:002011-01-12T04:48:10.339+02:00As someone at the New York Times pointed out, this...As someone at the New York Times pointed out, this shooting occurred at a political gathering scheduled by a Congressional representative. Trying to suggest that the story is really about the fate of the mentally ill in this country is blowing smoke you know where big time. The level of denial that attaches to (1) the Second Amendment, and (2) what passes for political discourse on the Right Rick Diguettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09556088192579865532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-50693073735195771002011-01-11T16:05:05.603+02:002011-01-11T16:05:05.603+02:00Once again, Rachel Maddow comes through on a big s...Once again, Rachel Maddow comes through on a big story. Her show, don't tell approach meant starting the hour with a big stack of headlines of mass murder committed in this country starting the year Loughner was born, followed by clips of news anchors saying how such a thing is unexplainable, how it never happens in America, etc., etc. <br /><br />Takes you directly to the gun lobby, which avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-48548068812802566282011-01-11T15:58:26.205+02:002011-01-11T15:58:26.205+02:00oooh, that's a creepy story. Whether there...oooh, that's a creepy story. Whether there's anything to it or not, it is odd that they are able to keep it from making news. Also interesting about Scarborough resigning from Congress. Didn't know that either, but it all fits with my overall impression of him. Interesting how these guys just reinvent themselves.avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-26225837384561349192011-01-11T10:05:56.270+02:002011-01-11T10:05:56.270+02:00A little history about Joe Scarborough when he was...A little history about Joe Scarborough when he was a Congressman (death of an aide in his office in Florida in 2001):<br /><br />http://www.americanpolitics.com/20010808Klausutis.htmlMartihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11341915969684349287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-54453643597344464182011-01-11T08:49:36.801+02:002011-01-11T08:49:36.801+02:00Not surprisingly, Sarah has been doing some housec...Not surprisingly, Sarah has been doing some housecleaning,<br /><br />http://open.salon.com/blog/rogerf1953/2011/01/08/palin_scrubs_website_of_poster_that_targeted_giffordsJames Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-53229290310244360222011-01-10T19:52:29.261+02:002011-01-10T19:52:29.261+02:00Had to break away to make dinner for the kids.
...Had to break away to make dinner for the kids. <br /><br />I actually met Joe Scarsborough. He was a young guy running for House Representative in our NW Florida district. Didn't think much of him at the time, or since for that matter, but every once in awhile he has a moment of contrition, which is more than I can say for most right-wingers. But, what ever "starpower" he had James Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-29415878094477485042011-01-10T19:36:44.480+02:002011-01-10T19:36:44.480+02:00Bon appetit! It's supposed to be work time at...Bon appetit! It's supposed to be work time at this side of the continent.....avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-70251792610377589422011-01-10T19:32:29.165+02:002011-01-10T19:32:29.165+02:00Oh well, lunch time in the USA. Pleasure talking w...Oh well, lunch time in the USA. Pleasure talking with you, avrds. And Gint--as usual, buenos dias!Shriftcathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06255335018967222592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-37740318069129923532011-01-10T19:29:14.408+02:002011-01-10T19:29:14.408+02:00What other choice is there? There's no third p...What other choice is there? There's no third party that's any kind of a threat yet, or will be into the foreseeable future. Rather I think the United States will fall apart before we get any real representational government in this land.Shriftcathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06255335018967222592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-43655077297351290332011-01-10T19:21:39.871+02:002011-01-10T19:21:39.871+02:00I shudder at the thought of working for Max althou...I shudder at the thought of working for Max although I did hold my nose and vote for him in 2008.avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-28578587441782969182011-01-10T19:21:02.032+02:002011-01-10T19:21:02.032+02:00I'm a big believer in the power of education b...I'm a big believer in the power of education but, alas, the republicans keep cutting that back too. I guess you have to hold your nose and keep working hard for the Democrats, even if in my state if that means Max Baucus....avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-39635142896860552052011-01-10T19:14:49.371+02:002011-01-10T19:14:49.371+02:00We have those big stores here. I find them terrify...We have those big stores here. I find them terrifying.<br /><br />Such is the civilization we have built (or had built for us). But those on the right find no correlation between any of these events and the positions they hold so dear politically. There can't be any correcting of people who can't even see the problem. What's to be done?Shriftcathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06255335018967222592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-41680697310976913352011-01-10T19:13:06.655+02:002011-01-10T19:13:06.655+02:00"That could be me in that hospital"....
..."That could be me in that hospital"....<br /><br />One would hope that would make Boehner weep, but I'm still waiting....avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-49801978123038697982011-01-10T19:12:02.449+02:002011-01-10T19:12:02.449+02:00Yes, and "Joe" seems to walk all over he...Yes, and "Joe" seems to walk all over her (and many of the guests, who sort of treat him with some sort of deference). It's painful to watch that kind of abusive environment. I'm surprised they have a following at all.avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-71390071364652795462011-01-10T19:08:41.339+02:002011-01-10T19:08:41.339+02:00He strikes me as nothing more than a right-wing bu...He strikes me as nothing more than a right-wing bully.--<br /><br />You should have seen him when he had is own show. He was much worse. Although I agree with you, I don't think that the show he has now works at all. She has a hard time hiding her ambition (and low opinion of Joe), while he is, as you say, pretty much what he always was, an unrepentant right-winger.Shriftcathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06255335018967222592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-18739258755780739182011-01-10T19:04:58.640+02:002011-01-10T19:04:58.640+02:00....Already the news media is painting the kid as .......Already the news media is painting the kid as a loner, a pothead, a nihilist, placing him as far away from the political right as they can....<br /><br />That's exactly what worries me. It's easy to write him off as an anomaly, as if all people who do this aren't crazy and prone to act out what they hear 24/7 on the radio and tv.<br /><br />Not to mention the fact that he could avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-28352072413096819162011-01-10T19:01:11.060+02:002011-01-10T19:01:11.060+02:00Well, I agree that the Arizona incident is certain...Well, I agree that the Arizona incident is certainly giving people some pause……<br />I think there are a lot of politicians walking around at the moment with the vague notion starting to enter their heads that "That could be me in that hospital". Will it lap over into some positive change in rhetoric? I doubt it. After all, isn't always the 'other guy' who is fueling the Shriftcathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06255335018967222592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-23356706768210410362011-01-10T19:00:46.208+02:002011-01-10T19:00:46.208+02:00That accomplice was the cab driver who brought him...That accomplice was the cab driver who brought him there. He came forward yesterday after his picture was all over Arizona t.v. I guess he had walked into a store with the shooter to get change and was caught on a surveillance camera.avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-39942109852471516772011-01-10T18:58:35.568+02:002011-01-10T18:58:35.568+02:00They have both been extremely critical of aspects ...They have both been extremely critical of aspects of the Obama administration, which I appreciate. I don't want just the gloss. Theirs are definitely not "party" newscasts. Matthews is much more centrist and pragmatic, which also has its educational benefits. It's a nice mix.<br /><br />Morning Joe on the other hand.... The show was featured in the Times so I tried watching itavrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-91889084806407359482011-01-10T18:54:33.756+02:002011-01-10T18:54:33.756+02:00I don't think the Republicans and Tea Party su...I don't think the Republicans and Tea Party surrogates will change their strategy one iota. That's the only strategy they know. What an incident like this will do is force "independents" to reconsider events and wonder who exactly are these guys and gals on the Right!<br /><br />Already the news media is painting the kid as a loner, a pothead, a nihilist, placing him as far James Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-59610555710698252752011-01-10T18:50:22.894+02:002011-01-10T18:50:22.894+02:00The thing I like about Olbermann and Maddow both i...The thing I like about Olbermann and Maddow both is that they both seem to have an appreciation for the truth. Yes, they both wear their political affiliations on their sleeve, but there is nothing wrong with that. As long as they call a spade a spade and report the warts on the Liberal side along with the good stuff. You so seldom hear anyone on the Right say anything bad about anyone or Shriftcathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06255335018967222592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-57925407326221713542011-01-10T18:46:04.498+02:002011-01-10T18:46:04.498+02:00...this snaps us back to the here and now.
This ......this snaps us back to the here and now. <br /><br />This is definitely American history in the making. My guess is it's a game changer. Time will tell, though, what direction that change will take.avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-90316866749153390212011-01-10T18:44:45.362+02:002011-01-10T18:44:45.362+02:00I am very concerned that people like Boehner have ...I am very concerned that people like Boehner have been able to take "the easy way out" and just write that guy off as insane -- rather than really speaking out against the rhetoric. But as that link says, then Fox News would have to fill its 24/7 with something substantive, and that might be a challenge.<br /><br />I read a great quote in all of this somewhere -- I think from David avrdshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07997163948247445009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-58291953322220832382011-01-10T18:43:12.655+02:002011-01-10T18:43:12.655+02:00It is fun to do current events once in awhile. Th...It is fun to do current events once in awhile. There is a tendency to get lost in history, and an incident like this snaps us back to the here and now.James Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9103772230302021699.post-88970440429034533292011-01-10T18:40:38.898+02:002011-01-10T18:40:38.898+02:00Well, as sad as it is, this incident in Tucson jus...Well, as sad as it is, this incident in Tucson just might be the game-changer. Someone posted this piece on facebook,<br /><br />http://www.borowitzreport.com/2011/01/10/fox-news-warns-that-without-angry-rhetoric-it-will-have-24-hours-to-fill/<br /><br />It may not change the way Fox or the Tea Party does business, but I certainly think this tragic incident is going to give "independents&James Fergusonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05901612633415337879noreply@blogger.com