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The Republican Convention is over.

Isn't it?

Keerist, I hope so.

I dipped into it to watch the show. It was worse than I expected.

What I have no feel for is how much people are conned by this display of chutzpah and flaunting of the power of wealth.

The GOP is certainly back to its capitalist roots.

It says here that Trump's hour and a quarter speech (really) was disciplined and that he stayed on the script. Hateful and negative. Dark and dour. Pessimistic and fearful. But on the script.

And if that is the script then we are in deep shit. Or at least we are in for a very unpleasant time of it until the election.

I get the idea that some traditional Republicans are embarrassed by these events. Many have stayed away.

But they can't hide their heads for too long of they will really have lost their Party.

I wish I could be happy about that prospect but I am not.

I believe in a healthy two party system. We do not have that at the present time.

So now it is the Democrat's turn. We shall see how they manage their show.

Their is certainly a uniting force now. Defeat Trump.

Labels: Republicans

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

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

I did not watch the GOoPers have their debate last night.

No surprise there.

But in reading the accounts of what went on, I can see that Trump is a spoiler in the midst of some serious people and that is too bad.

While it is unlikely that I would go to the other side even in the most extreme geezer like conservatism, a last breath conversion, I will confess to some queasiness with Clinton and their dominance.

I am heartened to read that Kasich made a good showing.

The non surprise is the apparent weakness of Jebbie. A stand in for the franchise who is weaker than all the others. A diluted version.

He is a milk toast and not very inspirational. Not that I would be inspired but still, I do like me a good vigorous trouble maker.

I do not want to go into detail because I didn't see it and, frankly, am not interested. It is good to see that even the Repubs finally have to let women into the tent and that earlier in the night Fiorina did a good job.

It is still way too early in the game but it is nice to have the circus back in town. I have missed it.

I feel like the kid peeking under the tent to see what is happening before the real show begins.

The photo is interesting in a mild way. Notice the space the others give Bush? There is discernible space between them. And who put him in the middle? Did Barb call up and insist? Poppy? Not George, I am sure. I wonder what he thinks of all this?

Labels: Republican primary, Republicans

In New Hampshire it is all Hillary all of the time.

No. She is not running there. But the GOoPers are and their theme seems to be "vote for me, I hate Hillary more than them".

It is laughable. Negative campaigning is not new for the Republicans. It is their daily bread. What else can they run on? The record of George Bush? I mean the one that came second in the bushie wave.

They are a contemptible lot with nothing to say about themselves. They scramble for first dibs at the table with no experience except as naysayers and, it seems, nincompoops.

Take Rand Paul. An eye doctor who is trying on his father's big boy pants.

Ted Cruz, an empty smirking shell.

Carly Fiorina a joke this week on cable news. Even without sound I could see the stage fright in her eyes. No national leader.

Oh, I don't want to recite it.

I actually like Jeb Bush in a "nice guy" kind of way. I think he would run a gentlemanly campaign whatever that could be these days.

It might even have some interesting policy issues to bandy about with Ms. Clinton.

As for the rest of them, mostly road kill from the past. Professional politicians with the slickness sort of worn off.

There. I have had at it for today.

I miss Mitt.

If nothing else, he was a professional candidate. Every year, year without end, totally predictably boring and a bit smug. Consistency of message whether we liked it or not. We didn't.

These people. Time for the Republicans to shake the box some more.

Labels: GOoPers, GOP, Rand Paul, Republicans

Gail Collins takes a last swipe at Mittens as he exits. Right?

Mitt Quits Again. Probably.

Collins has always had the ability to hone right in on Mitt's weak spots.

It is almost like animal cruelty.

She cannot help tease the guy in the cage.

What cage? The ego cage, the Mormon cage, the other restraints that hold Mitt back from being an open, genuine, whole healthy man.

He lives in a straight jacket. Just watching him, which I no longer do, makes me want to loosen my collar.

He stutters, stammers, backs up, tries again and smiles. Goddam how he smiles. That fake condescending smirk of the little squirt who knocks at your door selling The Book.

I just do not know where to start. Mitt's past due date passed decades ago. Or maybe before he ever began running for office.

Mitt suffers from the disease of privilege. His Dad, George Romney, a self made man, sort of, ran an auto company badly. Ran it into the ground.

I will miss Mitt. But I also somehow believe it is not the end. That that ever overflowing ego will find some need, some time, to emerge again.

Put the smile in the closet Mitt along with the bad suits.

Don't throw any of them out. The GOoPers are probably going to need another man on a white horse sometime in the future and you are still a youngish savior.

Look.

He got two successive items in this blog! I will miss him. Sorta.

But the ability of the Republicans to vomit up another mockable candidate is probably infinite. An endless source of fun.

Labels: republican whack jobs, Republicans, Romney

The GOoPers look like Democrats.

By this I mean that they have become a party of many disparate parts. All the kings horses and all the kings men will have to put Dumbty together again. They need a hero.

Let us count the ways they are divided.

Start with Jeb, the possible last of the Bushies but it is a deep bench. He is out of office and has been for awhile. And that was Florida. Enough said.

Then there is Christy. Still fat. There has not been a fat President since Taft. I don't mean to disparage. But the image is bad. And he is a loudmouth sure to get himself into trouble which, in fact, he already is. Have you seen him speak? A little sweaty.

I know. These are going to be Ad hominem comments but then this is politics. You put yourself out there. Brother of a dubious clan or fat. They have no policies.

Next? Mike Huckabee, a born again racist in the old mold. He used to be seen swinging to the center but now, not so much. Mike Fuckabee. Not much else to say. He draws on his cornpone accent and good ol' boy character. Slim chances among the Republican elite. Not our kind. Hickabee. Although, more and more the elite are the "not our kind" Republicans.

Rand Paul. Like father like son? A battle he may not be able to win. Oedipal stuff. Tagged with the sins of the old man. He is fighting hard to shake it though. Without shaking the inherent support for the family from the nut cases who got them started. Also, Rand is suspect by the elite. I, personally, think he might be the sexiest of them. The curly hair is an asset. To whom, I am not certain. He has worked very hard to get African-Americans behind him. But how many Afro-GOoPers are there?

Ted Cruz. Oh my god, Ted Cruz. What to say here? He is so far out in right field and is very not known. That is worse than being unknown. He sill suffer under the microscope.

Then there is the perennial. The Mittster. Mitt Romney. Would they dare to try it again? He is still out there beating the bushes. He has a name. There are some people down the street who still have the stickers on their car. Even the Obamas have taken theirs off. We don't have one anymore. But that one went with the car traded in.

So: Bush, Christy, Huckabee, Paul, Cruz, and Romney. I am not quaking in my boots yet.

Oh. Did I mention that we have Hillary running again? And Webb. He is thinking of challenging the Clinton machine.

We all have our shit about Hillary and nothing is inevitable in politics, but hands down she has to beat all those elephant people.

Labels: Republicans

To celebrate election day and to show that I can be bipartisan, here is a photo of Mitch McConnell voting today.

Labels: Republican primary, Republicans

Today, the analysis continues.

By tomorrow, no one will give a shit.

A lot of it is the standard stuff. Immigration, cross voting Democrats (which becomes increasingly discredited) but the real nut, as I pointed out yesterday was probably Cantor himself. An insufferably arrogant little prick.

Matt Bai agrees. Do we care any more? Just one more time.

Cantor Didn't Need to Move Right He Needed to Get Real

Hubris my friends. "With all due respect".

Don't let the door smack you on the ass on your way out Eric!

Labels: GOP, Republicans, right wing, world class assholes.

Robert Gates poses as a moderate Republican. Reasonable. Not a fiery eyed wing nut.

But when it comes down to it he talks from both sides of his right wing mouth.

Gates Would Have Allowed Gay Adult Scouts

Last year. But not now. Not that he is the new president of the scouts.

His appointment had me feeling pretty good for awhile. The scouts have a bad record with "the gays" as well as other social issues. Being neat and kind doesn't extend too far beyond the usual christian boundaries. The scouts still have the tinge, and more, of its churchy past. Protestant variety. They used to be a the bane of catholic boys. Not supportive. Now that still extends to gay men and other misfits in the Prot demonology.

This is the old association of gay with pedophila. A canard buried long ago. But not here.

My Dad had a term that fits these guys. "Mealy mouthed bastards".

I was a cub for about a minute. Our organization was very flimsy. Later, when I had boys of my own we tried with cubs, even had a den in the house but it didn't last. Attendance, leadership. Mostly my inability to gin up enthusiasm.

I believe that the guys who turn out to be two faced on gay issues are the real enemy. At least you can see the ones who hate. The liberal conservatives hide under a mask of being nice that only goes so deep.

Labels: bigotry, Republicans

FUNNY HEADLINE AT DAILY KOS

"As much as Republicans willingly shoot themselves in the foot, you'd think they'd want gun control"

Labels: republican whack jobs, Republicans

ARROGANCE GETS YOU HUBRIS

So this happened. Joe Scarborough beat the shit out of Paul Krugman in a "debate" on the Charlie Rose show.

There is a leftover bit of pollyanna stuff here. An attempt to find a bit of silver in the lining of the dark clouds.

Who's (the) Left's Television Team?

Well, not Krugman.

I have a long standing resentment toward the entitled, smug and thoroughly know it all Krugman.

I can never forgive him for his cheesy nay-saying about Obama's ability to fix the economy back in the early days of his first term.

Paul always had a better idea, never missed a snide remark, made cutting references to "amateurs" and so on.

In short, I found and still find him to be an insufferable dick.

Even Krugman admits that Joe Scarborough cleaned his clock.

I like Joe S. even when I disagree with him. He gives the benefit of the doubt, he is skeptical of much of his own party's bullshit and says so.

He has a sense of humor.

One has the impression that Krugman has years of being the odd man out, the unpopular geek and he is still getting even.

A dick with a Nobel is still a dick.

Thanks Joe, good job setting him on his ass.

Here, Krugman accuses Scarborough of going ad hominem which is, of course, him going ad hominem. Whiner, prig and phony. Paul Krugman.

To the article? Krugman is a shitty member of our television team.

Labels: democratic whack jobs, Republicans

CENTURY updated

Today is Richard Nixon's 100th Birthday.

This man dominated most or much of my life, politically speaking.

I first saw him when I worked in Philadelphia and he and Kennedy were touring/trolling for votes.

In those days there were street parades. None of this is really done now. Security.

Even then, he was the most awkward of men, physically. He slouched and waved funny. His eye contact was weird.

You could feel his own discomfort with himself. Palpable.

The five oclock shadow was a real thing.

I also saw Kennedy in the flesh. He was not as "heroic" as he tended to look in the photos as the camera was quite kind to him. The camera hated Dick Nixon. So that Nixon looked shifty even in real life was probable proof that he was and not the camera's fault.

This was not the beginning of Nixon.

We knew he was a red baiter from the beginning as a Congressman. 1946. I was 11 or 12.

In my house, a rock solid Roosevelt Democratic household, Nixon was thought to be a menace to society. My Dad. And he was right about the man.

So, look. It is 22 years from that time until he is President and then another 17 years after he was impeached in 1974.

A weasel of a man.

He tried to reclaim himself but not many of us would have any of it.

The thing that is funny is that Nixon won by a landslide in 1972. Did you know that? He started the EPA, he went to China and ended the years of our isolating them, launched initiatives to fight cancer and illegal drugs, imposed wage and price controls, enforced desegregation of some Southern schools and generally did a number of things that were good. Things that today would probably disqualify him from the Republican Party.

Tim Stanley says:

There was a Nixon for every season: anticommunist hawk, peacemaker, liberal, conservative demagogue, race baiter, civil rights reformer. The second half of the 20th century was the Age of Nixon because no politician was better at adapting to suit its whims. Were he alive today, he’d be both a Tea Party favourite and Obama’s nominee for Secretary of State.

Labels: Republicans

BODIES

There will be a lot of GOoPer casualties from this blow out.

It looks like the first to go is the infamous Karl Rove.

Remember the old photo of him being hustled out of the White House?

We should bring it back.

His Foxy performance on election night is enough to show he has lost his magic. Whatever there was. What is the difference between magic and evil intent?

Whither Karl Rove?

The video is in the writeup.

He spent a lot of other people's money in dirty ads and underhanded shit. To no avail. We were all so worried.

Although I did read this morning that the extra superfund cash might have made it less of a slaughter for the Mitters.

I also read that not one of Sheldon Adelson's candidates got elected. And I bet Sheldon is going to get a good going over from the Justice Department. Not that we are vindictive. Just that the GOP would be lenient. It is part of their deal.

As for Karl Fucking Rove?

Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

Ha ha ha.

Labels: republican whack jobs, Republicans

GARNISH ON THE MAIN DISH

Out here in California, it appears Democrats have finally achieved the impossible dream of super-majorities in both Houses of the legislature, breaking the veto power of the GOP over any legislation involving taxes.

It is a big big deal.

The Republican Party is on the rocks here. They drank the tea and it has poisoned them with the electorate.

The GOP found in five senatorial contests that the tea guys lost them the opportunity to make any headway in the Senate. They all went down. As they should have.

I figure there will be some long agonizing reappraisal among centrist Republicans if there are any left. They need to regain control of their party.

Labels: Democrats, Republicans

GOOD REPUBLICANS

When I talk about good Republicans I usually reach into the past to name what are no longer household names.

I forget Bloomberg who is the new/old Republican and now, ready to take a new step into the national arena.

Bloomberg Forming Super Pac to Influence 2012 Races

which would be legalizing same-sex marriage, enacting tougher gun laws and overhauling schools.

Admittedly this is a bit more new new Republican than most other Republicans are ready for but he is the wave of the future.

Mike Bloomberg.

Labels: Bloomberg, Republicans

MY PART

Obama Ahead of Romney Among Early Voters

That would be me. I put my ballot in the mail this morning.

I also voted for Feinstein although I am not personally fond of her. She has gone very establishment. Straight. Also Paul Ruiz who is running against our half a Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack. I say half because Bono is married to Connie Mack the Floridian who is running for the Senate (and not doing so well).

I voted for a couple of school board members and two members of the Medical Board. One of the guys I know pretty well.

I voted for the Governors tax proposal, for the end of the death penalty and for the softening of the "three strikes" law so that the third crime has to be a bad one for it to go into effect.

I feel good. Unburdened.

Obama is still holding Ohio in the polls. Five percent. They are not going to give the details of their tax plan until they are elected. Bad move. A quiet but interesting day.

OL' ARLEN

Passing note of Arlen Specter's death. He was a Senator and politician so long that I remember him from being elected in Philadelphia for District Attorney.

I called him 'Ol Arlen, as many did. I don't know why. I think it was because he was so oily.

His heart was in the right place but he could be a real bastard.

I loved to hear him talk almost as much as he did. A great gravelly voice with an accent that made him sound like a western actor. A drawl. An affectation that became permanent.

He was 82. Hard to say he was a hero to me at all but a character in the background of my life or lives as I lived from place to place and time to time.

So long Ol' Arlen.

In this tape he says that Romney changes position more than a porn star (4:48) and wonders which Mitt Romney will show up for the general election. Prophetic. He wrote a book that said the Tea Party was eating its own. Cannibals.

They ate him up. He was an old style Republican moderate.

Listen to him. A last hurrah.

Labels: Republicans, Romney

DEBATE PREP

This is for Joe Biden as he takes the stage.

In case you wonder, how could you wonder? This is Franklin Delano Roosevelt giving it to the same shit heads that are running the GOP today. Masters of deception.

And if that isn't enough, try this one. FDR again.

Labels: Republicans

So if 47% depend on the government, what do the other 53%depend on.

Labels: Republicans, Romney