Weekly Roundup, March 28-April 3, 2011

By Blueberry Tart

Monday, March 28, 2011

Rolling Stone’s Report on Jeremy Morlock and the “Kill Team”

Kathleen’s post highlights the disturbing images and report that Rolling Stone has published about the “Kill Team” in Afghanistan that included Palin family friend Jeremy Morlock. The photos are beyond horrifying. These were murders and mutilations for sport, and it is sickening to realize that members of the U.S. Army have committed such atrocities under the guise of “fighting for freedom” under the U.S. flag. These men are psychopaths, yet the Army and the war arena have provided them with guns and the cover of war, enabling them to carry out their depravity against vulnerable civilians. Morlock’s disturbing history of violent behavior and drug use preceded his time in Afghanistan, but instead of being screened out, he was “armed and dangerous.” Ironically, for someone who cannot let even the slightest slight go unattacked, Sarah Palin has been completely silent about the many connections between the Morlocks and the Palins.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Contest to Guess Sarah’s April Fools Message

We had a little fun with the news that Sarah Palin was going to make a “big announcement” on her friends' the sexist pigs' radio show. What would it be? The birth hoax? Nah. Running for President? Bristol’s third (or is it fourth) pregnancy? Piper going to school? We had a lot of fun guessing, but in the midst of our fun, Sarah’s minions (hi, Meg, nice to hear from you again!) said it was all a mistake, apparently realizing that April Fools Day would not be such a great time to make a big announcement after all. Instead, Sarah announced her support for a right-wing judge in Wisconsin and made some big dents in the refrigerator. ;-)

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Huckabee says all Americans should have to listen to David Barton at gunpoint

If Huckabee is still leading the Republican nominee pack, then let’s hope this outrageous statement will cook his goose. Someone who says such extremist things has no business running for dogcatcher, let alone President. Hey, Huckabee, how would you like to be forced to do ANYTHING at gunpoint – is that what you think democracy is about? Shocking enough in any circumstances, but after Tucson, you’d think there would be some governor on the ex-governor’s mouth. Apparently no rhetoric is too extreme for the Republicans, who are so completely dominated by the far-right that it excludes any sanity or decency.

Friday, April 1, 2011

Tony Benn, an Inspirational Voice

Kathleen is a long-time admirer of British politician Tony Benn, who is a progressive voice who forsook his peerage to represent the commoners. He suggests five core questions to ask of those in power, and reminds us of the root of power of a true democracy. These views do not seem so extreme, but have caused him to be vilified and slandered in the British press over many years. Then I remind myself that there are few great leaders who have not been subject to such attacks; in some sense, they are a badge of honor, representing the fear of those in power that these simple truths should become self-evident. PoliticalGates joins Kathleen in wishing Tony Benn a happy 86^th birthday; may his vision of political and economic fairness touch more people this year.

Saturday, April 02, 2011

Grayson figures Palin would win the nomination if she ran

Former Congressman Alan Grayson has seen crazy up close, and he knows that the crazies drive the Republican primaries. Thus, in his view, Sarah Palin has a good chance of winning the nomination for President, because her most fanatical supporters are singularly devoted and motivated to vote in the primaries. Kathleen reminds us that, in the general election, she is at a big disadvantage because all the lunacy that emanates from her will be on display; it could even be entertaining, if it weren’t for “voting irregularities” aka DIEBOLD. The good news here is that Grayson may re-emerge in politics; let’s hope so.

Sunday, April 03, 2011

What are Bachmann and Palin up to these days?

The GOP slate of potential candidates is shaping up to be a race among fat old white men, a black whack job, and a couple of “hot” mama fizzlies (okay, if Palin can make up words, so can I). In the “will she or won’t she” sweepstakes, we are beginning to shift our attention toward Michele Bachmann, who is just as extreme as Sarah Palin (maybe even more so) but hasn’t faked any pregnancies lately that we know of. Bachmann can lie through her smiling teeth just like Palin, and has proven that she can raise big dollars as well, heading the Republican field in the last quarter. Then there’s Sarah Palin, who is looking more and more like an also-ran even before the race has begun.

Some Comments and Links:

TurtleTears: …They are monsters. Lock them up and throw away the key. That Morlock may spend only a few years in prison is atrocious. Meanwhile, as Sunnyjane pointed out below, Bradley Manning will likely face the death penalty for blowing the whistle on illegal killings by the military. It makes me question everything.

Linda1961: The polls must be showing support for the president's actions in Libya. McCain is a weather vane, not a leader.

Lilylake (on Kathleen’s competition about Sarah’s “big announcement”): I am squirmish with anticipation.

Sunnyjane: here are only two things in this world that Sarah Palin loves: her own ego and everybody else's money.

There were MANY great ideas of what Sarah’s “big announcement” might be; here is one from aussiegal77: Um......not sure what the announcement will be but I am sure it will be something along the lines of "The media is lying about me, I didn't do it, and even if I did there is no evidence plus it's all Obama's fault anyways and also too......I'll run for President if everyone donates $5 to SarahPac!"

Linda1961 found this: "However big the fool, there is always a bigger fool to admire him." Nicolas Boileau-Despréaux

NJFan: If we have to listen to someone at gunpoint then it's not a democracy.

Older_Wiser2 had an excellent long comment on Thursday morning on religion as the basis of much evil-doing; she and other commenters followed up with some wisdom on tolerance and understanding.

Marieke02: …They honestly don't know how "government" works. They just know they hate "it"… They are no more than Know Nothing Extremists, and the whole party is on an out-of-control race to the bottom. (Just makes you wonder, already, if there even IS a bottom.)…

HopeforAmerica: Isn't it ironic that the Tea Party member's motto is "Take our Country Back!", yet the Tea Party is financed by the Koch Industry, who wants to buy up our politicians and take our country over?

Psalm023: I think Alan Grayson is just taunting her to run. He is using a psychological trick to lure the egomaniac to the carrot in the trap. Even if her committed voters or party delegates decide she's worthy of running at a republican convention, she still must be challenged by debates, interviews, and right now with the addition of Donald Trump in the mix, the republican party looks like a reality show party, with billionnaires, cosmetic-surgically-enhanced celebrities, tv con-evangelists, Ebenezer Scrooges who would wish the poor masses be sent out of their consciences to the work houses.

Sunnyjane linked to this excellent article on Our Luck: A President That Gets Complexity and to this cartoon on the LA Times blog.

Cheeriogirl pointed out that Bill O’Reilly is blaming Palin for her drop in popularity; and she found this on Fox News admitting their lie about then candidate Obama being a socialist.

HopeforAmerica linked to PolitiFact on Michele Bachmann’s lies; it seems Sarah does have some competition.

Older_Wiser2 found more on Bachmann’s lies. (BBT: Sounds like another 400+ page tome in the offing…)

Nomadic Joe linked to a great new video from The Story of Stuff, this one on the Supreme Court ruling in Citizens United.

Tildama: To solve the human equation, we need to add love, subtract hate, multiply good, and divide between truth and error.

The Last Word: Former WI Governor Patrick Lucey (with H/T to cheeriogirl and ella):

"I have followed with increasing dismay and now alarm the campaign of Justice David Prosser, whom I endorsed at the outset of his campaign and in whose campaign I serve as the honorary co-chairman," Lucey said in the statement. "I can no longer in good conscience lend my name and support to Justice Prosser's candidacy. Too much has come to light that Justice Prosser has lost that most crucial of characteristics for a Supreme Court Justice -- as for any judge -- even-handed impartiality. Along with that failing has come a disturbing distemper and lack of civility that does not bode well for the High Court in the face of demands that are sure to be placed on it in these times of great political and legal volatility."