Kerfuffle

Apparently, the people of Arlington TN elected their village idiot, Russell Wiseman, mayor

From the "You can't make this shit up" department of the Memphis Commercial Appeal...

In the opinion of Arlington Mayor Russell Wiseman, President Barack Obama's speech on Tuesday night on the war in Afghanistan was deliberately timed to block [wait for it...] the Christian message of the "Peanuts" television Christmas special.

Wiseman made the statements on his Facebook page, where he declared Obama to be a Muslim. Only people on Wiseman's "friend's list" had access to the post. He has more than 1,600 friends on Facebook.

"Ok, so, this is total crap, we sit the kids down to watch 'The Charlie Brown Christmas Special' and our muslim (sic) president is there, what a load.....try to convince me that wasn't done on purpose. Ask the man if he believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he will give you a 10 minute disertation (sic) about it....w...hen the answer should simply be 'yes'...."

[notation and implied eye-rolling mine]

Wow.  Wowity wow wow.  What an asshat!  And this guy is the mayor.  Granted, he's only the mayor of Arlington, Tennessee, which boasts most prominently on its website that... "With a population of approximately 9,700, Arlington is the eastern-most municipality in Shelby County [so they have that going for them]... and offers excellent schools, community activities, and commercial amenities all with a strong sense of small-town charm."  Presumably Mayor Russell Wiseman is the walking embodiment of that lovely charm of which they speak so glowingly.  He's a townie, and is happy to say he is the third generation of Wisemans to go to his high school, according to his biography. 

Please, Mayor Bigot, continue making an ass of yourself...

In Wiseman's extensive thread that attacked the president, his supporters and Muslims, he stated "...you obama people need to move to a muslim country...oh wait, that's America....pitiful."

At another point he said, "you know, our forefathers had it written in the original Constitution that ONLY property owners could vote, if that has stayed in there, things would be different........"

Wiseman declined comment, of course, except to say that the press was making "a mountain out a molehill" and that it was ridiculous for "someone to send my Facebook* post." 

As ridiculous as thinking, even for a second, that the President of the United States would actually choose a time to tell the nation that he has the unfortunate duty to send more troops into harm's way specifically so he could pre-empt the 44th airing of "A Charlie Brown Christmas?  Really?  And thinking this because you still think he's a Muslim even though it's widely known he is a Christian... as if his religion even matters?  Oh, right.  I forgot.  You're a bigot.  My bad.

Equally appalling but also fascinating (in that way we are fascinated with truly bizarre behavior) are the hundreds of comments left on the Commercial Appeal's website.  Racism, xenophobia and religious bigotry are very much alive and well, and it's pretty clear Tennessee hosts a lot of it (supported by this online poll).  Unfortunately, Tennessee doesn't come close to cornering the market on that kind of ignorant thinking.  But for the moment, when I picture ignorant thinking, I picture Mayor Russell Wiseman of Arlington, Tennessee.

I am a firm believer in freedom of speech, and everyone holds that right, whether the mayor of Hooterville or Houston, common working man or titan of industry.  But you can't post on the Internets via something as public as Facebook and feel like it is private communication.  Indeed, we are all free to speak our mind, but words have consequences, especially when said in the public sphere.  (The Internet and Facebook are the public sphere, Russell.  May I call you Rusty?.  Welcome to the 21st century.)  You said these things, Mayor Wiseman.  Time to man up and stand behind your comments, Rusty.  But you won't.  You'll hide until someone else says or does something really ignorant.  And that's probably happened already.  But as mayor, you represent the almost 10,000 people of your little town of Arlington.  See if you can try not to embarrass them or the bank where you make loans (thinking Old Man Potter) any more than you already have.  And good luck with that.  Given your level of religious bigotry and simple stupidity, I know it will be hard.

* Wiseman's Facebook page seems to have gone away, but he now has a (sort of) Russell Wiseman Facebook Fan Page.  Consider joining, won't you?

You may also give Rusty a shout out via email:  russwise@aol.com

Known tech expert John McCain wants your Internet bill to look like your cable TV bill

The Republicans are ever so skilled at mis-branding (some would same lying about) things so their sheeple will side against something that is actually in their best interest.  The latest shameful effort is John McCain's "Internet Freedom Act."  As in "freedom for the Internet service providers to esentially create tiers of service, and then charge accordingly."

From PC World via Reuters...

McCain's bill, the Internet Freedom Act, seeks to do the opposite of what its name implies by ensuring that broadband and wireless providers can discriminate and throttle certain traffic while giving preferential treatment to other traffic. Basically, those in power or those who pay more will have better access. Apparently we have different definitions of 'freedom'.

According to the text of the McCain bill, the FCC "shall not propose, promulgate, or issue any regulations regarding the Internet or IP-enabled services." Isn't that what the FCC does? Isn't that sort of like introducing a bill to prohibit the Treasury from printing money, or a bill to prohibit the IRS from collecting taxes?

This bill comes from a man who proudly claimed he is neither a PC or a Mac when asked about his computer preference during the campaign.  He's more or less a self-admitted computer Luddite.  Great.  But it's not like he's completely without some perspective.  He is on the receiving end of more tel-com lobbyist cash than any other senator, and more than double the next closest recipient.  This from the guy who was supposedly all about campaign finance reform.  Tell me you aren't surprised this guy is all about the money.  Maverick, my ass.

Consider what might happen in the marketplace if the big tel-coms are allowed to play favorites with content.  For example, if you have Time-Warner as your ISP -- the same Time-Warner that owns CNN -- how will you feel when they speed up any CNN video feeds and slow to a crawl video from MSNBC and FNC?  Or if Comcast gts their wish and buys NBC Universal, it will be the NBC comedies that come down the Internet autobahn, and the ABC videos that get the dial-up speed dirt road.

In a worst-case scenario, Gizmodo suggests this unfortunate promotional piece from your ISP...

John McCain's Internet Freedom Act is another attempt by Republicans to reward big corporate donors with laws that enrich stockholders and screw consumers.  And these same Republicans count on the electorate being stupid enough to believe the "freedom" in the bill's name means this is a good thing for citizens.  No shame, these Republicans.

And now, time for yet another (sigh) look at the face of today's Republican Party: honoring the act of teabagging

Believe it or not, House Republicans are looking to pass this resolution, honoring the millions, umm, hundreds of thousands, OK, fine, tens of thousands of people who marched on Washington on September 12 to protest whatever Fox News was telling them they were protesting.

Seriously.  It reads as follows...

RESOLUTION

Expressing gratitude and appreciation to the individuals and families who participated in the Taxpayer March on Washington on September 12, 2009.

Whereas, on September 12, 2009, hundreds of thousands of American patriots, who refuse to sit idly by as the Federal Government advances skyrocketing deficits, taxpayer-funded bailouts, pork-barrel projects, burdensome taxes, unaccountable policy czars, command-and-control energy policy, and a government takeover of health care, came to Washington, DC, to show their disapproval;

Whereas individuals also wanted to convey their displeasure with the future tax increases that will be required to pay for deficit-financed spending;

Whereas these individuals understand that the fundamental American principles of limited government and personal liberty are under direct assault;

Whereas this dedicated group of freedom-loving Americans believe in open, accountable, responsible, constitutionally based government;

Whereas hundreds of buses, multiple caravans of cars from across the country, and many individually chartered flights, as well as thousands of lone-traveling cars and trucks, brought these patriots to Washington, DC, solely for this event;

Whereas these individuals endured considerable personal expense to get to the march, including transportation and lodging expenses, as well as lost wages in many instances;

Whereas estimates of the number of people who peacefully marched from Freedom Plaza to the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on September 12, 2009, range as high as 1,700,000 marchers;

Whereas all 50 States were represented in the march;

Whereas this event is considered to be the largest ever gathering of fiscal conservatives in Washington, DC;

Whereas special accolades are due to the grassroots citizens organizations across the country who helped individuals exercise their constitutionally protected First Amendment rights in the Nation’s capital; and

Whereas when the current trends of government expansion and freedom retrenchment are reversed, it will be due in large part to the efforts of the hundreds of thousands who marched on Washington, DC, on September 12, 2009: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives expresses its gratitude and appreciation to the hundreds of thousands of people who marched on Washington, DC, on September 12, 2009, to show their love of liberty and their grievance with recent government actions.

Really, Republicans?  This is how you're spending your time?  This is the legislation you're working on?  An homage to the Beckians?  Seriously?  Wow.

To Hell with passing health care reform!  The GOP would rather focus on giving kudos to their intellectually challenged and don't-call-us-racist-but-we-are-kinda-racist base.  You remember:  these people...

 

Ever the classy bunch, don't you know.

[h/t Jed at DK for the photo montage]

Sing it loud, sing it proud: We're number 37 among all nations when it comes to health care.

Great music video satire from musical blogger Paul Hipp...

Paul packs a lot of great lines into three minutes.  Check out his website for more.

What is it about Republicans and dopes named Joe?

The search is on for some area -- any area, regardless of how small and insignificant --in Illinois government that isn't corrupt.

Good luck with that.

Illinois, my home state, continues to demonstrate that if there is a way to work the art of the political favor, bribe, or gaming of the system, they are all over it.  And usually, they are fumbling the ball.

Take, for example, this jowly face:  Niranjan Shah, the chairman of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees.  He just became the latest Illinois public official to resign in disgrace.  Seems he had a penchant for getting his kids and the kids of friends and business associates green-lighted into the University of Illinois even when they didn't exactly deserve it.  And while he was "helping" the university system with admissions, he also "helped" them allocate scholarship money and create jobs for those (family and friends) most deserving.

Grades not good enough?  Test scores sub-par?  Forgot to apply?  Need a job that you aren't qualified for?  Hey, No matter, "Uncle Niranjan" has got you covered!

Well, that is until the pesky media shined some light onto Mr. Shah's creative application of admission policy...

University records reveal that Shah, more than any of his fellow board members, sought advantages for his relatives and friends in admissions, housing and employment matters.

In 2007, for instance, Shah parlayed his connection with Chancellor Richard Herman to secure a high-paying university job for his future son-in-law, a Dutch citizen seeking work in the United States.

University records and e-mails detail how U. of I. officials created a position without conducting a routine search, secured a work visa and paid Maarten de Jeu $115,000 - more than other employees with the same title. Herman dipped into campus reserves to pay the salary because the position was not funded by the university department that ultimately hired him.  [Chicago Tribune news service]

Oh, Illinois. Silly Illinois.  You are not learning from your own star player:  Chicago.  If you are going to get creative with rules and policies and law and stuff, don't fucking get caught.  Somewhere, the original "Da Mare," boss Richard J. Daley, is shaking his own jowly head and mumbling:  "Look at deez guyze over der.  Dey're fucking amateurs."

Remember when Republicans and their media pals blamed the stock market on President Obama's policies? Good thing we have Tivo!

Now that the stock market has cracked 9000 for the first time since January, and is up about 2000 points since Obama took office, I'm waiting for our Republican leaders, pundits and media hangers-on to credit the President with this economic rebound.

Memory needing a refresh?  Let's go to the video from Jed at DKTV...

What's that sound?  Crickets perhaps.  I'd like to think a lot of things make the market go up and down.  But since the geniuses who were in power when the economy tanked saw fit to blame the new guy for what the market did as soon as he was in office, is it not fair that they also credit him with the rebound?

Ah, the politics of the Party of No.

That Tina Fey is hilarious! Her "I'm quitting my job 'cause you media people are mean to me" thing on TV today was too perfect

I love that Tina went and did a Palin skit for daytime TV.

Wait, what?

This isn't Tina Fey?  Oh, come on; sure it is.  I mean, you don't just quit being a governor because of friction from the press.  Not if your a tough Alaskan bush woman who field dresses your own moose you shot with an assault rifle from a chopper, anyway.  Hell, Mark Sanford was boinking some lady from Argentina on South Carolina's dime and got totally exposed over it... and he's not quitting his job as governor.  Blago didn't quit... he waited for the indictments and impeachment.

Oh, Tina, umm, Sarah, say it ain't so.

So it really is her, too, yes.  Well, I'll be damned.  Didn't see this coming.  But I guess being a quitter is something she perfected in all those attempts at those four colleges she attended.

Her statement was one long winding ride through crazyville.  Wow.  And to think this lunatic could have been vice president.  Scary shit. Also.

Of Republicans, family values and moral terpitude: What will it take for the so-called religious right to figure out they have been played for fools?

There's a great op-ed by journalism professor Walter Brasch over at The Public Record that is well worth the read.  Let me recommend it by cutting to it's summation:

Republican leaders aren’t the only ones who commit adultery, nor are conservatives or members of the Religious Right, including preachers, solely the ones to have violated the seventh and tenth Commandments. But, it is the "family values" Republican leaders, who have led the party of right wing moral indignation; it is the Religious Right that has overtaken the party and wears the now-tarnished shield of righteousness to protect itself against anyone who doesn't share their own views of the world, including moderate and liberal Republicans, and anyone belonging to another political party.

The hypocrisy and moral turpitude of the leaders is just one reason why only 21 percent of Americans identify themselves as Republicans.

The piece offers an extraordinary roster of indiscretions, moral lapses, and other failing that are the exact same kind as those railed against by holier-than-thou conservatives and Republicans.  So very curious that so many of these people are so overheated about what other people do that may be contradictory to what their god supposedly tells them or to their obscure interpretations of a famous historical novel.

This may not prove much one way or the other... except that the honest, everyday conservative Christians sure have been suckered in by a Republican party that sees them as nothing more than patsies that raise cash and deliver votes.

[h/t Steve Singiser]

By the way...

The Public Record is a nonprofit investigative news magazine featuring exclusive, original reporting covering a wide-range of domestic and international issues. [They] are dedicated to holding elected officials and corporations accountable and promoting greater access to information in order to build a more transparent democracy.

Shameless acts call for shameless measures: Governor Sanford Edition

This Mark Sanford scandal has been breathtaking to watch. As scandals go, it has so much chunky goodness, it's like Christmas and a few birthdays rolled into one!  I mean, honestly, this gem is going to top the charts.

The whole drama over Where's Waldo starts with the governor's security guys not being able to say where he is. 

Then apparently inexperienced and annoying lieutenant governor gets annoyed.  The wife says she has no idea where he is (but actually knows way more than she let on).  The staff either lies or just repeats a lie about hiking on the Appalachian Trail, leaving them to look to be either complicit or clueless. 

The Appalachian Trail story line gets funny as we find out Sunday was Naked Hiking Day and that the government stimulus plan Sanford fought so hard to turn away actually kicked money toward said Appalachian Trail. 

Columbia SC newspapermen stake out the Atlanta airport.  Surprise!  "I was in Argentina!" 

There's a tearful press conference, admission of guilt and claim of remorse and regret.  Apologize to nearly everyone everywhere.  Apologize some more.  And a bit more.  Then admit marital infidelity.  Whoops! 

FOX News goes to battle stations, changing the chirons to indicate that Sanford is a Democrat, even though there is ample digital proof they (and nearly everyone) are well aware he is oh-so-Republican.

Old emails leak out and go front page in the local paper, who had been sitting on them since December (!), reinforcing claims that local media and other pols knew of the hanky and the panky for a while.  Mrs. Sanford goes public.  A pillar in the holier-than-you-gays-sanctity-of-marriage movement had been kicked out by the missus two weeks ago.

Whew! 

I want in on the scandal!  The best I can do is to shamelessly rip off a really, really funny comment from Jed Lewison at DK, who apparently shamelessly nicked it from someone else:

Subject: Inside word from Sanford

It was a slight miscommunication between Sanford and his staff.  He told them he'd be "spiking some Argentina tail," and they thought he'd said, "hiking the Appalachian trail."  It was an honest mistake.  I think they handled it well...family values and all.

At least I was able to scam the top comment on this post at DK and used it to say I was stealing it.

And in these days of instant digital media, stuff like this is already hitting the Internets...

Might as well keep borrowing, this time turning to Keith Olberman, who teamed with Lewis Black, to discuss the plausibility (or lack thereof) of the Appalachian Trail hiking cover story.

Governor? May I call you Mark?  Let's face it, Mark:  you, sir, are fucked.  But you do have the heartfelt appreciation of Senator Ensign for taking the spotlight off him, and from Governor Palin for making her look kinda good, at least for a few days.