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Political Theatre of the Absurd
Author: BobR    Date: 02/02/2011 11:22:46

In 2006, the Democrats rode into power in Congress on a wave of disgust with the Republicans' endemic corruption. Two years later, the disgust with the Idiot-in-Chief, and fear of Sarah Palin drove record numbers to the polls to vote for Obama. Likely, there was also motivation driven by the lassaiz-faire approach to regulation which saw an economy heading over a cliff.

The Democrats, controlling both Houses of Congress and the Executive, had a unique opportunity to prove that they could lead this country into a bright shining future. Unfortunately for them, they were unable to. The 60 vote "filibuster proof" majority in the Senate came with not strings, but ropes attached, as each Democratic senator felt the power of his/her one vote to make or break a filibuster. The economy refused to budge so deep was its problems, despite attempts to seed the job market with projects funding. Sure the actions prevented what would have been an unrecoverable complete meltdown, but the turnaround has been slow.

On top of this, President Obama has also taken a lot of flak from the left, unjustably vilified for the sins of the Senate, while also trying to juggle too many a crisis. The malaise of the voting left ushered in a Republican majority in the House, and an essential 50-50 split in the Senate.

The voters had one thing on their minds: It's the jobs, stupid!. Unfortunately for voters, that is not what the Republicans heard, at least, if their actions since taking power are any indication....

A recent bill from Republicans has them redefining what rape is, which has raised the hackles of Democrats, particularly women:
The broad anti-abortion measure would restrict federally-assisted abortion coverage to cases of "forcible rape," excluding in that definition instances where women are drugged and raped, where women say "no" but do not physically fight off the perpetrator, and various cases of date rape. It also excludes instances of statutory rape in which minors are impregnated by adults. The victim in all cases would be denied abortion coverage under Medicaid and forbidden from seeking health care tax benefits.

Introduced by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), the bill boasts 173 mainly Republican co-sponsors and has been designated a top priority by House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH).

What woman thinks this is a good idea or necessary? What woman wouldn't call being drugged and raped "rape"? It's horrible. This is a "top priority"??

They are also trying to force a vote to repeal the new health care law. Why? Because they want to increase the deficit? Because they want to remove protections for patients? No - it's because they see it as a Democratic victory, and they are venal.

Some claim that it's the "mandate" that they despise (despite Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney signing a similar mandate into law in MA), and a Republican legislator for the state of South Dakota is trying to prove that point by promoting a bill which would mandate gun ownership for all adults. He even admits that the bill will likely not go anywhere, and he is only trying to prove a point. He shouldn't be so certain. Kennesaw, GA has had a law on it's books since 1982 requiring all city residents to own a gun. Yes, it's still the law there.

Other Republicans aren't helping the elected ones out any. Former governor, presidential hopeful, and TV personality Mike Huckabee thinks that Israelis should move into Palestian territory:
"I cannot imagine as an American being told that I could not live in certain places in America because I was Christian, or because I was white, or because I spoke English," Huckabee said. "I would be outraged if someone told me that in my country, I would be prohibited and forbidden to live in a part of that country, for any reason."

You can't? Try building a house on lands designated as native-American reservations. Come to think of it - that analogy is apt in several ways, considering how Palestinians and native-Americans have been treated...

And of course - former Bush Adminstration UN "Ambassador" John Bolton shows why he was picked for that job when he opened his yap and declared that if Egypt's Mubarak falls, Israel should bomb Iran. Why? who cares! - If McCain can sing "Bomb, bomb Iran", then this fits right in with the "shoot first - ask questions later" mentality.

It seems we've slipped back into the Bush-era position of there being so many jaw-dropping absurdities from the Republicans that it's hard to tell satire from the truth anymore. Just ask Rachel Maddow, who read a humor piece calling for Sarah Palin to lead a US cry for an American invasion of Egypt, and thought it was serious. Had it been me - I might have as well. It's gotten that ridiculous.

The big question though is - will moderates (both left and right) think so too? Will they realize they've been had and put the party that actually DOES look after the interests of the "common man" back in office?

We'll find out in 20 months.

 

33 comments (Latest Comment: 02/02/2011 20:32:35 by Scoopster)
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Comment by trojanrabbit on 02/02/2011 12:34:41
I am chauffeur today as the wife is working at the Mall and the weather is, to put it mildly, cruddy. I suppose by the time she gets out this will turn to rain, but at this point it's probably better if it remained snow. It will be even harder to move if it gets saturated with water then it freezes. Setting up the netbook at the Panera Bread down the street, sitting next to a nice warm fireplace.

So The Boner might have a problem keeping it in his pants. Though he's doing it wrong if he's doing it with a member of the opposite sex. But then IOKIYAR.

There have been no cat-fights since the eruption yesterday. Wish I knew what to do. I hate for Sophie to have to spend all her time in the computer room, though she doesn't seem to mind and I visit her often. I'll keep bringing her out into the living room when Cleo's not around, she likes that too. And I'm trying hard not to get too angry at Cleo, she went through a bad time with her previous owner. She is a sweet little butterball except when Sophie's nearby.

Comment by wickedpam on 02/02/2011 13:44:16
Morning

Comment by wickedpam on 02/02/2011 14:03:59
I have to wonder if we don't feel settled (or better) as a nation because these people are basically drivin the chaos train? Do you think they are intentionally doing pyshcological(sp) warfare on us or are they just that mean?

Comment by wickedpam on 02/02/2011 14:08:15
Quote by trojanrabbit:
I am chauffeur today as the wife is working at the Mall and the weather is, to put it mildly, cruddy. I suppose by the time she gets out this will turn to rain, but at this point it's probably better if it remained snow. It will be even harder to move if it gets saturated with water then it freezes. Setting up the netbook at the Panera Bread down the street, sitting next to a nice warm fireplace.

So The Boner might have a problem keeping it in his pants. Though he's doing it wrong if he's doing it with a member of the opposite sex. But then IOKIYAR.

There have been no cat-fights since the eruption yesterday. Wish I knew what to do. I hate for Sophie to have to spend all her time in the computer room, though she doesn't seem to mind and I visit her often. I'll keep bringing her out into the living room when Cleo's not around, she likes that too. And I'm trying hard not to get too angry at Cleo, she went through a bad time with her previous owner. She is a sweet little butterball except when Sophie's nearby.


See if Warren Eckstein has any advice on his site - I've heard him on some local radio shows and he seems pretty down to earth and logical

Comment by trojanrabbit on 02/02/2011 14:16:11
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by trojanrabbit:
I am chauffeur today as the wife is working at the Mall and the weather is, to put it mildly, cruddy. I suppose by the time she gets out this will turn to rain, but at this point it's probably better if it remained snow. It will be even harder to move if it gets saturated with water then it freezes. Setting up the netbook at the Panera Bread down the street, sitting next to a nice warm fireplace.

So The Boner might have a problem keeping it in his pants. Though he's doing it wrong if he's doing it with a member of the opposite sex. But then IOKIYAR.

There have been no cat-fights since the eruption yesterday. Wish I knew what to do. I hate for Sophie to have to spend all her time in the computer room, though she doesn't seem to mind and I visit her often. I'll keep bringing her out into the living room when Cleo's not around, she likes that too. And I'm trying hard not to get too angry at Cleo, she went through a bad time with her previous owner. She is a sweet little butterball except when Sophie's nearby.


See if Warren Eckstein has any advice on his site - I've heard him on some local radio shows and he seems pretty down to earth and logical


Thanks, looking over the site now.

Comment by TriSec on 02/02/2011 14:24:16
Hey gang, online briefly.

Made it to Bedford this morning, but it's turned to ice so getting home might be interesting.

Following the BBC with alarm...Egypt is heading south fast.


Comment by velveeta jones on 02/02/2011 14:36:43
Morning.

WHAT! Someone punched my little Andi "Candi" Coo in the head?!! Bastards.
Why I outta..... :rage:

Comment by Scoopster on 02/02/2011 14:37:21
Mornin' all..

Made it to the office on-time without a hitch today.. well okay there was one hangup - namely my boss calling at 6AM to find out if I was on the way. :

Comment by velveeta jones on 02/02/2011 14:40:48
Good post btw. I love Theater of the Absurd, but in this case (politics and peoples lives.... not so much).

Comment by Scoopster on 02/02/2011 14:41:48
Quote by TriSec:
Hey gang, online briefly.

Made it to Bedford this morning, but it's turned to ice so getting home might be interesting.

Following the BBC with alarm...Egypt is heading south fast.

Just checked in to the latest over there.. Looks like the army's simply gotten out of the way of Mubarak's armed thugs and is letting them start a massacre.

Comment by wickedpam on 02/02/2011 14:59:08
One of my manager's is from Egpyt, he has 2 sisters in Cairo in a section of the city where the Cabinet and the diplo's live and work. One of the sisters has had a tank sitting in front of her house so she and her kids had to move in with the other sister and her kids. He told me, he and his brothers have been trying to get them out before it degrades into violence. From the sounds of it though they may be too late

Comment by Scoopster on 02/02/2011 15:23:19
Watching the AJE feed now.. the legit protestors are not fighting back at all. They're literally collecting the rocks that the thugs/police are throwing at them and calmly piling them up near the army barricades.

Comment by Raine on 02/02/2011 15:23:52
good morning! flembot v1.5 seems to finally be leaving the station!

As far as that story about the Boner, I read it, I have heard the rumbling-- so I haven;t put too much into it. UNTIL now.

Mike Stark is pretty damn good at uncovering things of this sort.

Comment by trojanrabbit on 02/02/2011 15:40:38
Um, since when did Oxy-boy care about the Constitution?

Especially during the previous Administration?

Comment by Raine on 02/02/2011 15:47:23
Comment by wickedpam on 02/02/2011 16:30:33
Okay if you had spent about 8hours stuck in a car during a snow storm after going to a brand kick off meeting that really should have been cancelled would you think any of these taglines were funny on a t-shirt

Surviving Carpocalypse: The day the traffic stood still
Survivors of Carpocalypse: The day the traffic stood still
Escape from Carmageddon
Carpocalypse Survivor 2011
They Survived Carpocalypse: The day the traffic stood still

Comment by Raine on 02/02/2011 16:34:34
So the groundhog did not see it's shadow....

Early spring? I bet the GOP will come up with a jobs package too.

Comment by Raine on 02/02/2011 16:35:46
Quote by wickedpam:
Okay if you had spent about 8hours stuck in a car during a snow storm after going to a brand kick off meeting that really should have been cancelled would you think any of these taglines were funny on a t-shirt

Surviving Carpocalypse: The day the traffic stood still
Survivors of Carpocalypse: The day the traffic stood still
Escape from Carmageddon
Carpocalypse Survivor 2011
They Survived Carpocalypse: The day the traffic stood still
I like these two together.

Escape from Carmageddon
Carpocalypse Survivor 2011



Comment by wickedpam on 02/02/2011 16:40:52
Quote by Raine:
So the groundhog did not see it's shadow....

Early spring? I bet the GOP will come up with a jobs package too.



OMG only 6 weeks still Spring. Beats having 6 more weeks of winter.....wait...what




Comment by wickedpam on 02/02/2011 16:42:07
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Okay if you had spent about 8hours stuck in a car during a snow storm after going to a brand kick off meeting that really should have been cancelled would you think any of these taglines were funny on a t-shirt

Surviving Carpocalypse: The day the traffic stood still
Survivors of Carpocalypse: The day the traffic stood still
Escape from Carmageddon
Carpocalypse Survivor 2011
They Survived Carpocalypse: The day the traffic stood still
I like these two together.

Escape from Carmageddon
Carpocalypse Survivor 2011




that might be too too diastery - what about

Carpocalyspe 2011
Survivor

Comment by wickedpam on 02/02/2011 16:43:40
The Mageddonpocalypse 2011: We won

Comment by velveeta jones on 02/02/2011 16:59:59
Did I hear Steph correctly, earlier today? Glenn Beck thinks I'm a terrorist?



Comment by livingonli on 02/02/2011 17:37:40
Good day everyone. Finally am up Another morning I needed to crash out but I got to see how thick the ice was last night but now it's above freezing which changes the whole dynamic.

Considering the weather most of the country, it was unlikely that the groundhog would see his shadow. I wonder if there isn't an early spring and this weather pattern continues if someone will decide to hunt down the groundhog.

Comment by wickedpam on 02/02/2011 18:01:37
Hey Liv - looks like Phil didn't see his shadow so you only have 6 weeks till spring

I think you guys fell into the pattern we were in last year. I'm sure by now you've gotten more then the 72" of snow we hard at my house

Comment by trojanrabbit on 02/02/2011 18:11:54
I'm surprised Sarah didn't try to shoot Phil to start her trophy wall.

Comment by Scoopster on 02/02/2011 18:15:24
One of the perks of the boss demanding you get out of bed and get your ass to the office?

He buys lunch! Mmmm homemade spinach pie!

Comment by BobR on 02/02/2011 18:22:42
On the way into work today, I saw a flattened groundhog on the side of the road. What does that mean? 6 more weeks of bad traffic?

Comment by TriSec on 02/02/2011 18:40:49
Dropping by to remind everyone that not only am I elitest enough to listen to Opera, I even have a favorite! (Herr Mozart - Don Giovanni)

We don't need no stinkin' groundhog to tell us when spring is here. Everyone knows that's the day the equipment truck leaves for Ft. Meyers.





Comment by wickedpam on 02/02/2011 18:42:19
Quote by BobR:
On the way into work today, I saw a flattened groundhog on the side of the road. What does that mean? 6 more weeks of bad traffic?





Comment by Scoopster on 02/02/2011 19:02:30
Quote by BobR:
On the way into work today, I saw a flattened groundhog on the side of the road. What does that mean? 6 more weeks of bad traffic?

Who knows.. in that area it could mean 6 more weeks of Republicans trying to repeal HIR..

Comment by livingonli on 02/02/2011 19:28:18
Quote by trojanrabbit:
I'm surprised Sarah didn't try to shoot Phil to start her trophy wall.

I think someone's going to before spring comes.

Comment by livingonli on 02/02/2011 19:29:20
Quote by wickedpam:
Hey Liv - looks like Phil didn't see his shadow so you only have 6 weeks till spring

I think you guys fell into the pattern we were in last year. I'm sure by now you've gotten more then the 72" of snow we hard at my house

Not 72 inches but we did set a record for January snowfall.

Comment by Scoopster on 02/02/2011 20:32:35