Teapublicans, Communists, and Terrorists have a LOT in common:

Number A: They don’t care who they kill, so long as they get what they want. Teapublicans are responsible for deaths of women and children due to starvation, lack of medical care, or indistrial poisoning; Communists kill dissidents by the trainload; and Terrorists kill innocent people aplenty via cowardly acts of violence. So for all three of these groups, murder is one of their tools of choice.

Letter 2: They are blinded by their senseless “faith” and cannot see the real world and the facts on which it is built. Teapublicans cling to the fiction of Supply-Side economics even as it destroys the nation; Communists insist that Marxism-Leninism is the inevitable destiny of the world, even after almost every Marxist government has long-since collapsed; and Terrorists insist that their God/Sacred Cause wants them to kill us all and let Him/It sort us all out, when there is not a shred of evidence that their Deity (or Cause) does, in fact, exist. So for all three groups, living in a dream world is a defining characteristic, as is rejection of reality.

Thirdly: They keep on doing the same dumbass things over and over again, even though said dumbassery never, EVER works. Teapubbies keep on stealing our tax money and giving it to the 1%, even though the benefits never trickle down. Communists keep on oppressing their people, even though it never results in an egalitarian society. And Terrorists keep on murdering innocent people, even though all it does is unite the rest of the world against the terrorists. So for all three groups, they fit the old definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again, hoping for a different result.

So what ARE the differences between “Republicans”, Communists and Terrorists? Not much, really, unless you count wardrobe choices:



(Admit it: you thought the last one would be somebody in desert robes, didn’t you? Nope, it’s Timothy McVeigh, a home-grown terrorist.)

Mr. Blunt and Cranky

As predicted, “Voodoo Economics” has created a “Zombie Economy”.

This blog sneers ofttimes at “Republicans” and their stupid-f*** “supply-side” economics. (Here is one example of said mockery.) The gist is: tried and true data-based economic practices are the way to succeed, and Randian, Lafferesque Voodoo economic policies are the way to fail.

In Kansas, one of several states that have decided Ayn Rand was the false Goddess they shall worship, Voodoo economics have had the result most of those in the Reality-Based community have predicted:

In Kansas, the right wing has completely run the show in the state capitol since the 2012 elections, when Sam Brownback (who became governor two years earlier) led a purge of moderate Republicans who were acting as a brake on his agenda in the state Senate. Kansas is now a laboratory for what would happen if conservative Republicans gained full control of government. Empowered state Republicans slashed taxes for the rich, arguing that an economic boom would follow. It didn’t, as job growth in Kansas has underperformed the national average (as has Scott Walker’s Wisconsin, another state that moved hard right around the same time). But what did follow was a huge hole in the state’s budget (while liberal-dominated California is running a surplus and paying down debt).. (Emphasis via Cranky)

In state after state, the predicted results have occurred: Voodoo economics have created a sort of Zombie economy. What might seem just a mildly amusing turn of phrase is in fact a devastating blow to those of us not in the 1% (said 1% motherf***ers not being in the least incommoded by the Undead Economy). The economy is limping along, barely alive as far as most of us can tell, and that is not a sustainable path.

In Kansas, Wisconsin, Ohio, and indeed across the nation, we see the results of “Republican” policies: and rotten results they have proven to be. Using millions of people to test their voodoo theories was unethical at the outset, and has since sucked most of the life our of our economy.

Unlike the zombies one sees in movies, our Repub-afflicted economy can be healed and brought back to life. All that is needed is to lay off the voodoo, apply some healthy policies, and the rotting ambulatory corpse of our nation will be restored to health.

And the first step of that cure? Get out and vote. Vote against each and every “Republican” in every race, in every location. Banish the witch doctors and bring back the trained, educated professionals that had served us so well for centuries. Ditch the dream of Supply-Side, and awaken to reality.

That ‘dream’ turned out to be a nightmare the likes of which even Romero could never have envisioned, anyway.

Mr. Blunt and Crankly

The Ferguson protesters are a lot like our Founding Fathers:

They are upset about oppression, a non-responsive and discriminatory government, and taxation without representation. Yes, that is correct. The good people of Ferguson we see out there picketing and marching may not be dressed like, say, George Washington, John Adams or Thomas Jefferson; but their complaints are eerily like the ones identified in the Declaration of Independence.

Here is a good article on the matter. Ferguson is making up for revenue shortfalls by levying burdensome taxes and fees upon the populace; said charges not having the consent of the governed:

Traffic fines are the St. Louis suburb’s second-largest source of revenue and just about the only one that is growing appreciably. Municipal court fines, most of which arise from motor vehicle violations, accounted for 21 percent of general fund revenue and at $2.63 million last year, were the equivalent of more than 81 percent of police salaries before overtime.

And the fees are applied in a discriminatory manner, much like what King George did back in the 1770’s:

“If you’re black, they’re going to stop you,” the study quoted one traffic defendant as saying.

In 2013, 86 percent of all Ferguson police traffic stops involved black drivers, the largest share since the Missouri Attorney General’s Office began tracking the data in 2000. According to 2010 U.S. Census data, the city is 63 percent black and 34 percent white.

Got it? The local government is a minority oppressing the majority, and doing so via corrupt, discriminatory and violent means. Just like what sparked the American Revolution. The differences are minor when compared with the similarities.

And just like the American colonists, the people of Ferguson aren’t asking for anything unreasonable: to be treated fairly, have their rights respected, and to have a voice in how they are taxed by the government. Unfortunately, the local administration is likewise resembling its historical counterpart and therefore refusing to change its corrupt and mendacious ways. No way this is gonna end well.

If you repeat the mistakes of the past, you’ll repeat the consequences of those past mistakes. There may not be many powdered wigs to be seen on the streets of Ferguson: but then, when s*** was getting real back in 1776, not many of the American Revolutionaries were wearing them out in the streets, either.

Mr. Blunt and Cranky (whose ancestors were here before the revolution in 1776)

Grammys to Right-Wing Fundagelicals: “In Your Face”.

That, friends, was the first Grammy awards show in years that was worth watching. Hoo boy, somebody must have grown a pair, and allowed some artists to take some risks for a damned change. From Steven Tyler singing Smokey Robinson in front of Smokey Robinson, to Taylor Swift bleeding all over the piano, to Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ stinging bitch-slap to the major labels, some truly excellent moments occurred. Note to awards show producers near and far: safe sucks, risk rocks. Learn from this telecast.

But the best part wasn’t purely musical: it was the mass marriage of straight, LGBT, and multi-racial couples at the 2/3 mark of the broadcast. A good rap/gospel mashup number set up the ceremony, and the rap itself was a huge thumb in the eye to all the homophobes who are such an affliction on society.

There were some awesome musical moments, too: Nelson, Haggard, Kristofferson, and Shelton laid out a reminder of what country music used to be before it turned into classic rock sung through nasal cavities; Metallica with a classical pianist; and Imagine Dragons with a helluva hip hop artist, totally melting down the stage; those were just a few of the great musical moments of a rarely-watchable awards show. But it’s not what everyone will be talking about this morning.

And that’s a good thing, overall. Music isn’t just ear candy, you know: it’s part of the zeitgeist, and is as much influenced by as it is influential within it. Last night a few thousand music industry professionals, some of them pretty damned influential, all spoke with one voice. And what that voice said was:”up yours” to the regressive, repressive, and hate-ridden “Christian Conservative” community that wants us all to party like it’s 1499.

The courts, the people, and society as a whole are moving towards a rational, sane, and Constitutional policy on marriage equality. The Grammys added their considerable weight to the discussion, and it’s gonna be a fun week as the “Republicans”, Wingnuts, and Fundies go into full freakout mode, blathering, bullying, lying, shrieking, and generally acting like they can still bluster their way to victory.

That worked for a while, when the majority of the country tried to be civilized when dealing with these Repub barbarians. But people are getting tired of that losing approach. Last night, we saw what happens when we stand up for what is right: great art, great television, good politics, and oh yeah, a ton of money got made, all while serving the greater good and defending our Constitutional freedoms.

In your face, Fundies. In your face while dancing. In your face while we turn the volume up. Because you were right, back in the 50’s and 60’s: rock music IS revolutionary, and it WILL destroy your hateful, bigoted, backwards, hypocritical, lying society. In your face, boyo, because that is a very good thing.

Mr. Blunt and Cranky

An Independent, Two Democrats and a Republican Walk into a Bar…

OK, they actually walked into the Senate. And no, it’s not a joke. Senator Angus King (an Independent from Maine) and three others have introduced a bill that just might save our economic a**es when the next crisis rolls around. It’s a re-invention of the Glass-Steagall Act, which was stupidly repealed in the 90’s: said idiotic repeal being one of the causes of the Bush Economic Collapse. Here’s the story: http://bangordailynews.com/2013/07/11/politics/angus-king-john-mccain-introduce-bill-to-break-up-megabanks/

You’ll note that it is a Centrist Independent that is getting special praise here (well, DUH, it’s this blog). However, Senators McCain, Warren and Cantwell are also worthy of praise for working with King to get this bit of common-sense moving, at least in the occasionally- rational Senate (forget the House, they’re a load of loons these days). The idea is simple –  separate the risky bits of banking from the safer bits of banking.

You remember the banks, those putzes that crashed the world economy, never went to jail for their crimes, and even made money for themselves by causing the Great Recession? Right, those banks. They’re against this new bill. Therefore, we should all be for it.

Kudos to Angus King and his allies. If this becomes a trend, we may have to invent a new word for DC politics: “Tri-Partisanship”.

Mr. Blunt and Cranky

Racism, Partisanship and Dirty Tricks; Politics, Virginia Style

In the “nobody could be THAT sleazy” competition of 2013, the Virginia Senate’s GOP caucus has truly raised the bar for all the other sleazebuckets who would contend for the title. This was sleaze combined with racism, gall, and a truly epic flip o’ the bird to any sense of cooperation, bipartisanship, respect, or fair play. We are talking EPIC, here, peeps: Wow.

Short version: while a black State Senator ( and veteran of the Civil Rights movement) was, on Martin Luther King Day attending the public inauguration of a black President, the Virginia Repubs took advantage of his absence to ram a gerrymandering plan through that would diminish the impact of minority votes. You see, had he been there, there would have been a 20:20 tie between the Elephants and the Donkeys, and the bill would have been debated and passed (or not) on a bipartisan basis.

But nooooooo. The “republicans” in Virginia want to rig future elections by gerrymandering the state and to Hell with the wishes of the governed. Those voters expressed their wishes by electing equal numbers of Repubs and Dems. Got that? Virginians explicitly rejected partisanship with their votes. But the GOP could give a rat’s fart about what the electorate wants: for them it is all about power and wealth for their party and those that bribe them.

Oh, and the racism: after all the slights against black folk already named above, and the dirty pool played in order to screw black voters and elected officials; when their “work” was done, the Senate adjourned “in memory of Thomas J. ‘Stonewall’ Jackson”.

Just to make it crystal clear: after taking a number of questionable actions that were specifically targeted to hurt black people, on Martin Luther King Day, the Virginia Senate “republicans” chose to honor a Confederate General.You know, a guy who betrayed his service oath and took up arms against his country in order to keep black people in chains.

Virginia voters, you can do two things: either embrace your Pro-Slavery Republicans; or kick their asses until they stop doing this crap. By your choice, we shall know you.

Mr. B& C

Republicans: We Don’t Care What the Truth Is

Disclaimer: not all individual Republicans are being bitch-slapped herein. Mr. Blunt and Cranky was raised as an Eisenhower Republican (which makes him a Radical Centrist these days, the Modern Repubs having nothing to do with the traditions, values, or conduct of the party), so be it understood that it is the Party and its leadership that are being called out. Got it? Great.

It has become increasingly clear that the Republican Party has lost all contact with facts  (AKA “truth”). They lie, rinse, and repeat. When called out on their lies, they mock the facts and those who check them. Not that the phenomenon is new, but the degree is:

Apologies for the ad, but worth the wait – Peter King said “I don’t care about fact-checkers”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BBZ0xFp6Ws&feature=related

Here’s another top Repub pooh-poohing facts – Neil Newhouse said “We’re not going to let our campaign be dictated by fact-checkers,” http://www.tennessean.com/article/20120905/COLUMNIST0150/309050062/Fact-checking-beneath-Romney-campaign

More examples, of course exist; a depressingly large number (this writer took all of ten minutes to find, read/listen, then post these two examples, so imagine how many you could find if you actually tried) of occasions on which top Republicans straight-out say that they don’t care what the truth is.

The modern Republican party has decided that lying is a good thing. They have embraced dishonesty. They proudly spew their lies and act as though they are right in so doing. While your humble correspondent misses his departed parents, he is at least pleased that they aren’t here to see the slimy, filthy, prevaricating, cheating, thieving f***ing Falsehood Factory that their beloved party has become.

Gentle readers, ask yourself these two questions:

[1] If your five-year-old child  tried treating you like the Republicans treat you, would you reward them for lying?

[2] How can you trust an organization that straight-out says that they have lied to you, are lying to you, and will continue to lie to you?

Ask yourselves these questions. And if you still vote for the Republican Party (v.2012), then you are saying that you like liars, and trust them to control your life.

Mr.  B & C