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He said we would miss him and it turns out he was right.

Now, Nixon rises from the dead with some advice to The Donald.

Richard Nixon Speaks: Stop Comparing Me to Trump, Dammit!

In his trademark salty language we are treated to a taste of the old Republican we would most like to hate.

For those who are a little younger and may not remember the crouch and the snarl this is a nice bit of nostalgia in a much nastier time.

Written in fun by Justin Sherin, a playwright based in New York City.

Of course this is partly because the GOoPers do not change.

Sure, The Donald is a cartoon of the type but so was Nixon.

At least Dick had better hair. He was also much more politically astute.

One of the scary lessons from Nixon is that no matter how fucked up you are and no matter how much people laugh at you. persistence might just work in the end. Louder and longer and over and over. Finally, just to get rid of the fucker we will vote for him. At least there are term limits.

Labels: GOoPers

I have been trying to write a blog entry about the GOoPer convention and failed.

My heart is not in it.

They are not even worth mocking anymore.

I am impressed by a number of standard GOP people who have taken a pass on attending.

It is a bit satisfying on the schadenfreude side of things to see how clunky the whole thing has been.

But as a preview of any possible Administration, it is kind of horrifying.

These clowns can't even handle the candidate's wife's speech without stumbling.

It is all a clown show.

I picture the wife as the First Lady and my mind falters.

There has been a lot of "inside baseball" in the reporting. The "what really happened" kind. And I don't think that is very good either. It all reads like a reality show that has gone too far.

So, there has been radio silence from here. Not out of respect. Just out of plain dismay and disbelief.

I watched poor old Bob Dole trying to make a good face over it. He is, as they say, failing. But he is canny enough to see the mess that is being made of his Party.

It is too soon to imagine what the Party will look like after defeat of a the monumental proportion I hope for.

Or maybe I will have egg on my face and have to lick it off.

Labels: GOoPers

It is premature to name Hillary Clinton as our next President.

But it wouldn't be too soon to assume that it is inevitable.

Where does this leave the Republicans? They are shattered, shuttered, and discombobulated. Out foxed by a an egomaniac. Mr. Wonderful.

So what next? Start a new Party? Or rescue the one that has been hijacked.

Rescue by all means.

Thomas Friedman spells it out.

The (G.O.P.) Party’s Over

Split by the religious right, the haters, the ultra right gunslingers, the GOP has become a collection of nuts mixed in with some people like Paul Ryan who are trying to hold the line on Party principles.

You know, I used to be a Republican.

In my first town, I registered that way because I wanted to be on the Committee and to have some influence in local affairs. If one was not a Republican then there would be few friends in a new place.

But that changed over time as I realized that while all politics are local, Party politics are not. And that one must take a stand from the beginning.

Richard Nixon did me in. I could not stomach his bunch of criminals. I defected and became a quiet Democrat.

That is a long time ago but it is worth reminding myself that is how it started for me.

How it ends is that there is no semblance of similarity between that Party and today's grab bag coalition that will embarrass itself further in their upcoming convention.

Labels: GOoPers, GOP

That sucking sound is the Republican Party's soul vanishing down the drain.

Whatever soul it had.

Trump has drained the swamp so even the old reliable creatures have no place to go any longer. Even John McCain.

Once a Trump Target, John McCain Now Finds Their Political Fates Intertwined

Even I am saddened at this.

One wants to have a loyal opposition and now that is going the way of the garish, the superficial and the boor-dom of the Donald aura.

It is too bad. A sad end for an old man.

Not to say that he should have quit before all this came about but what else could he do? It is the one thing, the only thing he has.

Trump has attacked McCain. Mocked his war record. The draft dodger ascendant. It is a bitter pill to swallow.

Labels: GOoPers, McCain

Donald Trump's success in the primaries has brought about a singular opportunity for Republicans in this state to be important on the national scene.

But it ends up being a curse. A problem. Trump is not a party player and is only by chance a Republican.

And he is a New Yorker.

He is not very popular here and there will be a primary fight.

California Prepares for Long-Denied Star Turn in Presidential Race

The thing is that our primary comes after many of the others and as a result we are always the after thought.

Not so this time.

There will be a fight for delegates and it is heating up nicely.

Nothing like watching the other side getting into a circular firing squad.

As for the Democratic side, there is no real excitement here. Sanders would do better among west coast liberals and there are a lot of us but that race is essentially over.

Any votes Sanders gets will be symbolic, a kick in the ass for the Clintons. But to no effect.

First, the Clintons do not care and second, the outcome is already forgone.

Labels: California, GOoPers, Republican primary

Here it is in one huge non-issue.

The idea of banning "transgender" folks from restrooms.

I leave that open as to gender because, as it turns out, it is pretty hard to spot a transgender person. First some have "become" men and others "women". I only use the quotes to indicate the ending point of their search for gender identity.

Tempest in a Toilet.

Let's start with the bathroom itself.

That is a whole lot simpler.

There are many places that already have one bathroom for all. I go to a public meeting room three days a week. There are two bathrooms there. Each has a man and a woman on the sign. Gender various.

I go in and pee and a woman comes in to pee after me. Either order.

Just like home. One hole for all.

Most people do not have their own separate gender bathroom in their house. Do they? Maybe the crazy right does. Let's go into their homes and check them out. They like the policing idea.

OK. Right.

The next thing. I know a few transgender people. They are seldom "visible". You would not know!

I know one person who is in transition. We know because s/he was male and now is moving in the direction of being a female. That is the only reason we can tell. But the "look" is changing rapidly. She seems a bit tall but not really. That is my eye lying to me. And my memory. I have to remind myself of who s/he used to be. I do not know which bathroom s/he uses. It is none of my fucking business.

Honestly? When it is pretty clear that they are one-holers I have used a female designated toilet. Necessity requires. How many other men have? A lot. Be honest. Women too.

Yes. There is the issue of kids. What is the issue? Sending them into a public bathroom alone.

Here, the solution is to find a gender neutral toilet. I have had to take my kids in to pee. It is a little creepy to take a little girl into a mens room. Or for me to go into the Ladies to let her be "correct".

It is all horseshit really.

Sure, there are pedophiles but most of them are not using the toilet at McDonalds. They are lurking in the parks or playgrounds handing out lollypops.

Donald Trump, who manages and builds real estate has had the best answer to this. He said that it was a solution in search of a problem.

Not so his opponents. It is a tiresome feature of the GOoPer, many of them, that sex is a hot issue. Mostly embarrassing or blaming. It is the religious nut side of the GOoPer.

Oh well. Good for The Donald. If I was a Repub I would vote for him.

Labels: gender, GOoPers, republican whack jobs, transgender

This is a shocker even to old case hardened me.

How Jeb Bush Spent $130 Million With Nothing to Show for It

If this doesn't make the money men squirm then nothing can.

The Bush franchise had worn out but yet some people and organizations still wanted some suction. Enough to pay through the nose.

And that money is gone.

Forget how many meals that could have bought for the "starving children" all our parents told us about.

It might even have gone for the financing of a decent candidate.

See, to me, this is why the so called "smart money" is dumb as a bunch of shovels.

If they even had half a thought they would have taken a fresh look at the "bush franchise" and found that it consisted of a bunch of hangers on and nostalgics but no real people. No one who would vote for him.

I hate to bring this out again but Momma Bush famously said that we had enough Bushes and she was right.

If she was not geriatric and very very prideful she would have put a stop to this comedy of errors.

Well. I won't have the Bushes to kick around any more. Oh. Right. That was Tricky Dick Nixon whose self pity overwhelmed us all. Sigh.

Labels: bushies, con men, GOoPers

We need him back!

Tom DeLay. Wasn't that his name?

The leader of the GOoPers?

His name would be apt which is about the only thing there could be.

Tom DeLay who got his dick caught in the wringer or something like that. No. It was money laundering.

Anyway, I digress.

Republicans See How Long They Can Hold Their Breath

Gail Collins reviews the bidding on the hold out to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by Scalia.

I think Obama is up to the task. Which is to name someone that it will be hard to say no to. The GOoPers are a circular firing squad when that happens. So, divide and conquer.

Or he could name someone who is so partisan that right wing will go nuts and make a fool of themselves which they do regularly anyway but when they get real whacked out they are a hilarious spectacle.

It must be fun to sit in the White House right now and watch the hypocrisy, the outright lying and the serious discomfort that the Senators are in.

They started opposing him before Scalia's body was cool.

Have a heart guys.

But there is no heart there and what is left is not a candy heart either. More like a shriveled up remnant of the time that they were happy and carefree youngsters. Who went wrong.

So they are stuck. A part of the demand that Obama not nominate anyone until the general election is over is a pure desire not to have to commit political suicide. Again.

Mitch McConnell, the guy who looks like a turtle, should just pull his ugly head into his shell and let events unroll.

After all, that is what their beloved Constitution tells them they should fucking do.

Their turn will come and then they can say no, yes or try to delay it then. Which would also make them look like the fools they are.

And then there is this.

Obama Compiles Shortlist Of Gay, Transsexual Abortion Doctors To Replace Scalia

From the Onion.

Labels: GOoPers, Supreme Court

The Republicans are having some trouble with preserving "the brand".

Traditional GOoPers are not too pleased with the two aliens that have invaded their primary.

As Donald Trump and Ted Cruz Soar, G.O.P. Leaders’ Exasperation Grows

It is a little hard to imagine the traditional white collar country club republican being very happy with these upstarts. A smart talking New Yorker and a guy with a suspiciously hispanic name.

The Party that has always specialized in white bread candidates have some tough choices to make. And we have not even mentioned Sarah Palin. Back into the fight with all here embarrassing fervor.

It is a bit of a clown show. As predicted.

The fringe candidates are draining the swamp and the Party would like them to drop out so that the numbers could settle around the current poll leaders.

It will be interesting to see whether that happens.

In the mean time, relax and enjoy the circular firing squad.

Labels: GOoPers, Republican primary, Republicans

I had wondered what the evangelicals thought about hard living Donald Trump.

I see that they are in complete denial.

Evangelicals See Donald Trump as Man of Conviction, if Not Faith

Well, conviction passes I guess.

Three wives, a gold collar upbringing, all that. I don't have any problem with Trump's "faith" or anyone else's really. Unless they try to jam their faith into me. But it is pretty clear that it is a stretch to find Trump meets the usual evangelical test.

That is the thing about the Christers and bible thumpers. They are as crass and screwed up as everyone else. Inconsistent. I think the word I am reaching for is "hypocritical".

In fact, the only candidate who I know might pass their test would be the execrable Mike Huckabbee. A gold plated asshole and two faced bastard.

Sorry. I seem to have lost it there. Huckabee really pisses me off.

What this boils down to is that these "people of faith" are just another voter bloc and they know it.

When I was a kid, any preacher who spoke politics from the pulpit was seriously reprimanded for it. And this was the Methodists of that time which, amazingly, were among the more liberal denominations.

I would see people get up and leave at even the hint of a political opinion from the front of the church.

Times have changed.

I will admit that, as a gay man, I feel wounded by "the church" and church people. But I know that many if not most of them are not of that sort. Nevertheless I do not expect much from most "good christian folk". I usually take the other side of the road if I see them coming.

As for Trump, who the hell knows? He is a blowhard. Jesus had no comment on that as far as I know. He is rich as Croeus. Hard to walk through the eye of a needle on that one.

But this is not about Trump, trump trump trump. You have to admit it is a funny name if you repeat it often enough.

Labels: Donald Trump, GOoPers, Republicans

Every day, I see Trump advancing in the GOP polls for President.

I think to myself: How can this be happening? Are they going to allow this guy to run off with their Party? What happened to the sensible Republican in sensible shoes and a nice blue suit. The farmer. The blue collar guy who switched to the GOoPers a long time ago?

What is going on here?

Today, part of an answer and an affirmation that Trump will not, cannot happen.

Why I Will Never Vote for Donald Trump

The first and most obvious reason is that Trump has no experience running anything. He was a rich kid who has flunkies to run the show. He is a "personality". Something that these days does count for something but not much.

He has romped through and with his money to satisfy his ego. The world is a playground.

But watch him. Listen to him. He does not know shit.

He generalizes, he evades, he insults.

I suspect that he is also a gold plated prick.

But, what do I know? There is no one else for them. Well, there is, but they do not want him. Or her either.

Poor Jeb suffers from stooped shoulders and the look of a deer in the headlights. But at least he held elective office. So did Kasich. So did Christie. But for some reason the polls are not supporting them.

Today, Rubio, another fresh face has begun to push into Trump's lead but at the expense of other candidates. Not Trump.

The funny thing is that Trump's base is the "great unwashed" who he probably despises. But will manipulate if he can.

What an interesting election cycle!

Labels: Donald Trump, GOoPers

I grew up to believe that Republicans were the elite, moneyed foks who never got their hands dirty and believed that the working men or women were beneath their interests.

That seems to be no longer the case.

More and more working class people are attracted to the ideas that are repugnant to the traditional GOoPer.

This is mostly because of the defection of a segment of former Democrats who hate immigration, desire isolation and, frankly, have racist opinions.

I won't get into the racist part because many Republicans believe in the traditional party of Lincoln. Anything but racist.

But there is no denying that the conservatives do offer a home to the disaffected and the angry mob elements of the American system.

This article is interesting.

For Republicans, Mounting Fears of Lasting Split

Basically, the idea is that Trump and Cruz, both rampant nativist, racist demagogue types, if not the real thing, have hijacked a segment of the dependable wing of disgruntled working class people; that the rent in the party represented by the current primary rhetoric, will become permanent.

The party of John McCain and Lyndsey Graham on one side and the bigots and the ideologues on the other.

In my lifetime there have been many, well several, third party movements. Notably the George Wallace secession people from the Sixties. Those were democrats. Before that there were, in fact, an American nazi like movement. Now there are the anti-government people.

This anti-government gang now showing up in Oregon has only one way to gain power other than arms and insurrection. It is to get under the bigger tent of the GOP.

But that is not OK for them. Some tasseled loafer dude will be forever telling to take off their goddam cowboy hats and sit down. To clean up their act and be more authentically American instead of some kind of troglodyte.

It is not my problem.

But it does worry me in that I believe in the two party system and doubt the sustainability of a three or four party system.

There has always been room for the outlier in the American system, the lone dissenting voice. Even in Congress. But an entire movement which could wreck half the present system would threaten the basic understanding of our two party system. Undermine it. Slow it down worse than anything we have seen so far.

Look at the Congress now and picture more dissent than there is at this time.

And so on.

Get your popcorn out. The traditional Republican Party could be imploding. Just like the Democratic Party did when it got hijacked by the southern bigots many years ago. Can anyone remember Estes Kefauver? The dupe of the right? A nice guy who ended up the symbol of a racist faction who never drew another quiet breath afterward.

And so on.

Just give me my popcorn.

Labels: GOoPers, right wing whack jobs

The GOoPers could not find their asses with both hands.

And they want to govern?

G.O.P.: Save Your Candidates From Themselves

Apparently there is no Republican Party. Just a collection of non-democrats who are gunning for themselves and fuck you if you do not like it.

This is not surprising.

It is how they ran the country ever since Eisenhower. When they had a chance.

And even Ike had his smattering of self inflicted nonsense.

I remember. I was just a little kid but I was fascinated with politics just then because I still wanted to be President.

But sure as fuck not a Republican. I tried it for awhile because in Pennsylvania, local politics are party-partisan and the Democrats were hopelessly corrupt in and around Philadelphia.

Now, we see that there is no party. More of a sponsoring organization for a bunch of individual "monarchies" of power.

It has to be embarrassing to watch this.

Of course, at the center is the Donald, the great disrupter. He is a master of it. And to the sides the dower witch doctor and the frantic Texas Senator. The Kentucky guys have faded. At least they had a semblance of normalcy.

I do not mind all this. Here is your bag of popcorn. Enjoy the show.

Ten goddam presidential aspirants. Not one of them fit to govern. And anyone who has governmental experience gets disparaged for being a tool.

Labels: GOoPers, republican whack jobs, Republicans

A standard Republican line is that they are the victims of a biased media.

They seem to miss the fact that the bias, if any, is toward showing the world as it is rather than the world that the GOoPers wish it could be.

It is no news that there is bias in reporting. Duh.

But the Repubs have turned it into a stem winding talking point.

Why does this work?

I think it works because it hits right at the paranoia and personal discomfort of their audience.

I have known wingers since I was a young man. In the army, the rant and rave of a guy over the "reds" and so on.

They never seem to pause and think that the "bias" may often just be straight on reporting of the dither that they dish as their standard rhetoric.

Anger Over Debate Fills Iowa Republican Forum

Look. There he is, obese and gasping it out. Christie.

Do they ever consider that a lot of this is based on self hatred? The finger pointing out because they can't look at themselves?

He is a classic fat boy who has probably had a hard life because of it. He is not the only wounded boy now trying for the big prize. Carson's is obvious. Black and lost professional goals. Early retirement. Ted Cruz, a bastard for a father. And so on. Take a look.

Are Democrats neurotic? Sure. Bill Clinton is our poster child and Hillary his standard bearer. That is their story.

But, come on. I have a lot of shit in my history too. I am looking for recognition. I have always wanted to be "class president" just to "show them". Sometimes I succeeded. A lot of appointments, the easiest way to get power. One election.

Some think this is an easy road. It is not. Try driving past your monster campaign poster every day on the Boston SE expressway and see if it is not an ego boost and a simultaneous anxiety hit.

Politicians are like actors. Working through their shit the best way that they can.

More power to them. There are a lot of sick fucks on the sidelines who will never step out and take the heat. Their wounds are disabling. Their sourness is sad.

The politician works it out. Sublimates to do good works. Or at least works s/he thins are good. More power to them.

Oh. And, by the way, do you really think that we are going to elect an obese president? No way fat boy. You are a schmuck not because you are fat but because you can't see over it and look at yourself.

There. That is my bit of biased venom for today.

Labels: GOoPers, republican whack jobs

If you could not stand to watch the GOP debate, then here is a reasonable summary:

Jeb Bush’s Mayday

by Timothy Egan who uses the opportunity to find everyone's soft spot.

I was going to quote some of it but then I would be doing almost eight paragraphs and it is better to just cite the article itself.

His contention is that Bush is toast and that the others are undermining their own chances at the gold ring themselves. Self inflicted wounds.

This is an old GOoPer trait. It is not hard to make fun of them because they are so mockable in their most serious modes.

What amazes me is that there are still so many of them on board after three debates. Weren't these supposed to thin the herd?

The trouble is that there is no standout. No blatant reason to quit. And since everyone else in the candidate scrum is as vulnerable there is no easy path out the door.

The Jeb!s have muffed it. There early out and ahead assumptions turned out to be way off base.

Mom was probably right. The world has had enough Bushes.

Trump is stuck. But he is such an arrogant fuck with his slit eyes and raised nose (was there a bad smell in the house?) he seems too above it all to last. But he does have his numbers. Still.

Carson is a boring slug at the debates. Cerebral. Good for him that his troglodyte philosophy does not get much beyond his disdainful expression (do I really have to do this?). Kasich looks good and says good things but not loudly enough and without the "hook" that seems to be necessary in the Republican primaries. He is just the most experienced at governing and the most serious on policy issues. But he is way short of being a demagog which seems to be the thing that makes the booboisie interested. They like blood. And he is black. No one mentions that. But in the modern Republican Party blacks are still not welcome. And don't tell me about some old dusty Ed Brooke story. Our Senator Ed was about as black or less so than I am.

So here we are. Three debates and nothing is decided. I read that the networks are dismayed. It is lousy revenue to have such a mushy and boring slate.

Really, does Jeb really get across? He does need that exclamation point. He probably needs four: Jeb!!!!!. Can you fell the excitement?

One nit. The name Jeb is just two letters away from the hillbilly name Jed. I always think of that when I here the name. I am not going to say it again in this post.

Labels: GOoPers, Republican primary

I couldn't stay up for it, but I depend on Frank Bruni to bring me the goods.

Ben Carson and Donald Trump Lack Electricity in a Charged Debate

The point of this opinion piece is that the two GOP frontrunners got swallowed whole by the rest of the gang.

I saw excerpts this morning and have to agree that Carson and Trump got eclipsed but so did Jeb!.

In fact, they are were eclipsed by the questions, the format, the CNBC panel (who I know very well, a daily watcher) and the general rub of being on display.

One surprise to me is that Jeb! is very awkward in this setting. He is royalty and royalty does not like to rub elbows with the commoners.

His irritation at this was palpable.

Some others seem to have lost their way. Fiorina for one.

Trump is very smug. A strong feeling that this was all beneath him, a front runner. Carson more because of something he cannot help. He is a boring didact who has apparently never taken speaking lessons or, as often with doctors, not used to being questioned or doubted. Playing god comes with the knife.

It is all very interesting.

Another thing.

Some of them got into a posture that failed Palin and you would think they would have taken heed. Blaming the "main stream media" in those exact words is a failure script. And it has nothing to do with the media distorting them for saying it. The medium is us. No better nor worse. It is doing its job. Sure it is biased. So am I. Now, get over it and get back to business.

Any politician that does not know how to seduce and use the press positively has failed as a politician. It is the first responsibility. A required skill. These poor bastards don't have it. At all.

Well, maybe Kasich but he is a Trojan Horse sent in by the Democrats. A Republican liberal. Almost extinct.

One last thing. I saw that hapless christer or fake christer Mike Huckabee this morning. What a piece of work. He is fighting the Clintons. An old stance for an Arkansan. Jesus, Mike. Get a fucking grip. They are going to kick your party's ass whether she is the nominee or not. Mike Fuckabee.

Labels: 2015 election, GOoPers

Not much pleasure in watching these clownish bastards flounder.

If Republicans can't elect a House leader, how can Americans trust them to govern?

Well, that is just the point.

The ridiculous extremes configured in this article include getting Mitt Romney to be Speaker of the House! I guess the Peaker does not have to be a Rep.

Mitt! Is that the best they can come up with.

It has long been evident that there is no depth to the GOoPer bench in Congress or out.

This is a sad day and to gain pleasure from it is a sick response as we are them. They are us. This is to be representative government but our reps are mostly an embarrassment.

Labels: GOoPers

He is more of an ignorant asshole than I thought.

And I thought I was being extreme.

Ben Carson: Gay Marriage To Blame For ‘Dramatic Fall of the Roman Empire’

Actually, he is not ignorant. He is very canny about who and how he attracts. He is as dangerous as any right wing weirdo.

Watch that sneaky smile. There is a lot of hate in this man.

Labels: GOoPers

Eric Cantor weighs in on the Congressional Republicans after Boehner.

Eric Cantor: The G.O.P., After John Boehner

It is worth reading.

I never liked Cantor but liking has nothing to do with it. He was an articulate and committed spokesman for the other side and I respected his authority and his willingness to work with the Demos. He could be a nasty bitch but not in the personal sense, not in the acrimonious shit-head way that the newer GOoPers conduct themselves. A gentleman.

The troglodytes and knuckle draggers do not contribute one wit to the national discourse. Probably, OK, watch for it, they have no "wit" to work with in the first place. No concept of the American Way. Their way or no way. Obstructionist bullies. OK. I will stop.

Their version of that Way is unconditional surrender to their warped points of view.

It will be interesting to see if the Majority can sweep up the pieces and reconstruct a better version of itself. A loyal opposition.

If not, more despair and waiting for the next election cycle.

Labels: GOoPers

Labels: GOoPers