Monday, January 31, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
From Salon.com: The road to Jerusalem runs through Tunis and Cairo
"The neoconservatives told us that the road to Jerusalem lay through Baghdad. They meant that invading Iraq and installing a democracy there would lead to peace in Israel and Palestine. The way they imagined that peace was a neocolonial landgrab: a greater Israel with portions of the West Bank amalgamated by Jordan. Still, that is what they believed-- that creating democracy in Iraq would lead to a peace in Palestine.
"These ideas are in smithereens today. The Palestine Papers have revealed that the peace process was a Trojan horse for Israeli expansionism and that even the American client in the West Bank could not accept a future state without Ariel and Ma'ale Adunim, the long fingers of Jewish territory.
"And the lessons of Iraq and Tunisia and Egypt are that you don't install democracy anywhere; no, democracy must arise from the people themselves, you damage the processes of establishing popular will by seeking to impose such a system. The western democratic revolutions also arose from within.
"The lesson of Tunisia and Egypt for American foreign policy is that the United States is the most conservative force in the world, in this region. It didn't see democracy coming because it didn't want to see it coming to the Arab world and to the palaces we supported. And when democracy did come, the U.S. creditably reversed field in Tunisia, but has stuck by its dictator in Egypt."
To read the whole story:
http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/01/28/weiss_jerusalem_cairo
S'pose there are any politicians as honorable as former Mariner Gil Meche?
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Royals pitcher does ‘right thing,’ gives up $12 million
Former Kansas City Royals pitcher Gil Meche is a rarity in professional sports. His contract guaranteed him a $12 million salary this year, even though he was too injured to be a starting pitcher. But Meche didn’t feel right about being paid when he couldn’t play, so he retired, freeing the Royals from the contract. “When I signed my contract, my main goal was to earn it,” he told the New York Times. “Once I started to realize I wasn’t earning my money, I felt bad. I was making a crazy amount of money for not even pitching. Honestly, I didn’t feel like I deserved it. I didn’t want to have those feelings again.” No doubt the decision to retire was made easier by the $40 million the Royals have paid Meche over the past four years. But it would have been even easier to take the additional $12 million he was due. He didn’t, saying, “it just wasn’t the right thing to do.”
Royals pitcher does ‘right thing,’ gives up $12 million
Former Kansas City Royals pitcher Gil Meche is a rarity in professional sports. His contract guaranteed him a $12 million salary this year, even though he was too injured to be a starting pitcher. But Meche didn’t feel right about being paid when he couldn’t play, so he retired, freeing the Royals from the contract. “When I signed my contract, my main goal was to earn it,” he told the New York Times. “Once I started to realize I wasn’t earning my money, I felt bad. I was making a crazy amount of money for not even pitching. Honestly, I didn’t feel like I deserved it. I didn’t want to have those feelings again.” No doubt the decision to retire was made easier by the $40 million the Royals have paid Meche over the past four years. But it would have been even easier to take the additional $12 million he was due. He didn’t, saying, “it just wasn’t the right thing to do.”
Friday, January 28, 2011
What happens in Vegas, doesn't necessarily stay in Vegas
From the Spokesman Review:
Olympia reporter Jim Camden has a story in today's paper (which is also getting a lot of comments online) about the arrest of Roy Murry in Las Vegas for carrying a concealed weapon this week. Murry is one of the three men the Spokane County Commissioners are considering to replace former Spokane Valley senator Bob McCaslin, who recently retired from the state legislature after 30 years due to health reasons.
According to Jim's story, Murry is disputing the police report and said he won't withdraw his name from consideration for the senate seat. The police report states that Murry was carrying a semi-automatic handgun, two knives, two ammunition clips and loose rounds.
The Commissioners are currently conducting background checks on all three candidates, including state Rep. Matt Shea and GOP legislative district leader Jeff Baxter.
According to Jim's story, Murry is disputing the police report and said he won't withdraw his name from consideration for the senate seat. The police report states that Murry was carrying a semi-automatic handgun, two knives, two ammunition clips and loose rounds.
The Commissioners are currently conducting background checks on all three candidates, including state Rep. Matt Shea and GOP legislative district leader Jeff Baxter.
Is this a parallel universe divorced from reality?
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Bill Clinton attacks Republicans
DAVOS, Switzerland — Former U.S. President Bill Clinton criticized the Republicans for their small-government policies Thursday, saying America has to stop "conducting its public policy as if it was in a parallel universe divorced from reality."
He also urged Israel to make peace with the Arabs, saying the Jewish state will never have a better partner that the current Palestinian leadership.
[snipped]
His gentle prodding of Israel and the Arabs stood in stark contrast to scathing attacks on the Republicans, who several months ago won back the House of Representatives in midterm elections in the United States.
"I'm very worried in the United States now, in the aftermath of these congressional elections, that the majority party in the House seems to believe that the most important public policy we can possibly have is to give me another tax cut and ... to pay for it by getting rid of all the foreign assistance," he said. "To pretend that the only thing that matters is to keep taxes as low as possible ... and strangle the government and that is what will give you a good result defies all evidence."
He chided the American voter as well: "What I mean by a parallel universe is one more time the American people rewarded the policies that they say they're against. Since 1981 when the Republicans departed from traditional conservatism into demonizing the government as an institution ... America has been dominated by them.
[snipped]
...........................................
Bill Clinton attacks Republicans
DAVOS, Switzerland — Former U.S. President Bill Clinton criticized the Republicans for their small-government policies Thursday, saying America has to stop "conducting its public policy as if it was in a parallel universe divorced from reality."
He also urged Israel to make peace with the Arabs, saying the Jewish state will never have a better partner that the current Palestinian leadership.
[snipped]
His gentle prodding of Israel and the Arabs stood in stark contrast to scathing attacks on the Republicans, who several months ago won back the House of Representatives in midterm elections in the United States.
"I'm very worried in the United States now, in the aftermath of these congressional elections, that the majority party in the House seems to believe that the most important public policy we can possibly have is to give me another tax cut and ... to pay for it by getting rid of all the foreign assistance," he said. "To pretend that the only thing that matters is to keep taxes as low as possible ... and strangle the government and that is what will give you a good result defies all evidence."
He chided the American voter as well: "What I mean by a parallel universe is one more time the American people rewarded the policies that they say they're against. Since 1981 when the Republicans departed from traditional conservatism into demonizing the government as an institution ... America has been dominated by them.
[snipped]
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Thursday, January 27, 2011
We can guess WHO also.
It seems that a new character on The Olympian comments doesn't approve of public disclosure of documents.
What the F*ck, Sarah??????????
As if Bachmann's statement that the "Founding Fathers put an end to slavery" wasn't enough, we now have Sarah Palin telling us that Sputnik and the space race with the US was the financial demise of the USSR.
Six colleges and not one ounce of 20th Century history.
Yes, Sarah, the 1900s WERE the 20th Century.
By the way, does anyone know the latest on Todd and the massage technician that was arrested for prostitution in Anchorage?
Six colleges and not one ounce of 20th Century history.
Yes, Sarah, the 1900s WERE the 20th Century.
By the way, does anyone know the latest on Todd and the massage technician that was arrested for prostitution in Anchorage?
Fond memories of Independent Voter
"I hope you have the opportunity to see one of your family members raped and murdered by a sexual predator.”
Read more: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/01/27/1519124/500000-bail-set-for-graham-man.html#ixzz1CFtaJeWN
This quote from the looney that threatened the Governor is a reminder of Independent Voter's request that TJ Johnson be put in jail and raped by a cellmate.
LATE BREAKING NEWS - we have another Conservative that thinks criminal justice is best served by jail rape:
Read more: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/01/27/1519124/500000-bail-set-for-graham-man.html#ixzz1CFtaJeWN
This quote from the looney that threatened the Governor is a reminder of Independent Voter's request that TJ Johnson be put in jail and raped by a cellmate.
LATE BREAKING NEWS - we have another Conservative that thinks criminal justice is best served by jail rape:
Read more: http://www.theolympian.com/2011/01/27/1522446/olympia-school-bus-driver-arrested.html#ixzz1CI1d0kBI
Who owns the US Debt?
http://seekingalpha.com/article/246958-guess-who-owns-the-most-u-s-debt-not-china
Amazingly, a major chunk of US debt is owned by.......US! Social Security in particular.
Now isn't it Social Security that they all say is going broke? Looks like bad investing to this common man.
Can you imagine putting Social Security trust in the stock market where they could REALLY screw up?
Amazingly, a major chunk of US debt is owned by.......US! Social Security in particular.
Now isn't it Social Security that they all say is going broke? Looks like bad investing to this common man.
Can you imagine putting Social Security trust in the stock market where they could REALLY screw up?
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Turning the other cheek
Karen from Lacey, joyfully writes:
I have lived here for three years now and I guess I am a little slow, but I finally do get it. You don't like Christians and you don't like Christmas.
The annual crop of anti-Christmas letters published in The Olympian and the anti-Christmas spirit that I encountered as I was doing my Christmas shopping have finally convinced me.
I am glad that we live in a country where we have freedom of speech and freedom of religion and that no one has to say “Merry Christmas” or celebrate it if they don’t want to but I also have the freedom to decide where I want do my Christmas shopping.
I spent about $2,000 in Olympia this year but next year I will be doing all of my shopping on-line at stores where Christmas is still celebrated.
So to all of the merchants and stores of Olympia, one more time, Merry Christmas and farewell.
Read more: http://www.theolympian.com/2011/01/26/1519801/christmas-shopping-will-change.html#ixzz1CBXEMSKJ
I have lived here for three years now and I guess I am a little slow, but I finally do get it. You don't like Christians and you don't like Christmas.
I am glad that we live in a country where we have freedom of speech and freedom of religion and that no one has to say “Merry Christmas” or celebrate it if they don’t want to but I also have the freedom to decide where I want do my Christmas shopping.
I spent about $2,000 in Olympia this year but next year I will be doing all of my shopping on-line at stores where Christmas is still celebrated.
So to all of the merchants and stores of Olympia, one more time, Merry Christmas and farewell.
Read more: http://www.theolympian.com/2011/01/26/1519801/christmas-shopping-will-change.html#ixzz1CBXEMSKJ
The haters on the Olympian threads better be careful about their posts!
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Thank you, KING5, for covering something that the Olympian so far hasn't bothered to post on-line!
According to this article, "Threats Against the Governor or Family" is a Class C Felony.
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Graham man arrested for alleged threats against Gov. Gregoire
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Thank you, KING5, for covering something that the Olympian so far hasn't bothered to post on-line!
According to this article, "Threats Against the Governor or Family" is a Class C Felony.
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Graham man arrested for alleged threats against Gov. Gregoire
by KING 5 News
Posted on January 26, 2011 at 12:12 PM
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Tuesday, January 25, 2011
They say anything, even if it's not true
From The Olympian -
In December, Smith, chairman of the Bill of Rights Defense Committee in Tacoma, requested that the city give him copies of all of its documents related to the use of Towery “as a confidential police informant” from April 1, 2005, through Dec . 3, 2010.
and the comments....
Read more: http://www.theolympian.com/2011/01/25/1518687/ex-worker-at-jblm-collected-activist.html#disqus_thread#ixzz1C6qU6R9B
Clinton was President from 2005 to 2010????????
In December, Smith, chairman of the Bill of Rights Defense Committee in Tacoma, requested that the city give him copies of all of its documents related to the use of Towery “as a confidential police informant” from April 1, 2005, through Dec . 3, 2010.
and the comments....
Read more: http://www.theolympian.com/2011/01/25/1518687/ex-worker-at-jblm-collected-activist.html#disqus_thread#ixzz1C6qU6R9B
Clinton was President from 2005 to 2010????????
From The Blog Publisher
As a community service, I will be providing both of these posts to the Olympia Police and the Thurston County Sheriff. It appears that other media chooses to just wag a finger at this kind of stuff - avoiding possible liability issues - but I'm not an out of state corporation that is just here for the money.
There is no doubt in my mind that both of these comments come from the same source and the first comment was made several times in the past by "Joe Voter". I called the Olympia police in the past when Joe Voter made the above threat and they said it was "The Olympian's problem". That was before the Tucson slaughter.
This is our community and we don't need people like this. Regardless of if it's just words or the possible action of a mentally ill person, it has to stop somewhere and here and now is the time.
I encourage everyone to copy and paste this blog on an email and send it to both law enforcement agencies. Since we have new leadership at both agencies, maybe someone will step up and demand that people with information that can disclose this person, provide said information and possibly save lives.
A recent Olympian editorial spoke of the right of media to get information about the amount of county money spent defending court cases. I think it's time that McClatchy set an example and work with the law enforcement agencies to ward off another possible Tucson event. Disqus software can track an IP, so there are no excuses for not participating in ridding our community of a possible disaster.
Read more: http://www.theolympian.com/2010/11/06/1430745/olympia-police-chief-hes-1-of.html#disqus_thread#ixzz14eEHf8SF
There is no doubt in my mind that both of these comments come from the same source and the first comment was made several times in the past by "Joe Voter". I called the Olympia police in the past when Joe Voter made the above threat and they said it was "The Olympian's problem". That was before the Tucson slaughter.
This is our community and we don't need people like this. Regardless of if it's just words or the possible action of a mentally ill person, it has to stop somewhere and here and now is the time.
I encourage everyone to copy and paste this blog on an email and send it to both law enforcement agencies. Since we have new leadership at both agencies, maybe someone will step up and demand that people with information that can disclose this person, provide said information and possibly save lives.
A recent Olympian editorial spoke of the right of media to get information about the amount of county money spent defending court cases. I think it's time that McClatchy set an example and work with the law enforcement agencies to ward off another possible Tucson event. Disqus software can track an IP, so there are no excuses for not participating in ridding our community of a possible disaster.
America's Embarrassment
WASHINGTON – Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) said the United States was founded on racial and ethnic diversity and that the founding fathers were responsible for abolishing slavery.
Speaking at an event sponsored by Iowans For Tax Relief, Bachmann hailed the "different cultures, different backgrounds, different traditions" of the early European settlers in America, adding that the "color of their skin" or "language" or "economic status" didn't preclude them from seeking happiness.
"Once you got here, we were all the same," she said. "Isn't that remarkable? It is absolutely remarkable."
The Minnesota Republican called slavery an "evil" and "scourge" and "stain on our history."
"But we also know that the very founders that wrote those documents worked tirelessly until slavery was no more in the United States," Bachmann added, claiming "men like John Quincy Adams... would not rest until slavery was extinguished in the country."
Speaking at an event sponsored by Iowans For Tax Relief, Bachmann hailed the "different cultures, different backgrounds, different traditions" of the early European settlers in America, adding that the "color of their skin" or "language" or "economic status" didn't preclude them from seeking happiness.
"Once you got here, we were all the same," she said. "Isn't that remarkable? It is absolutely remarkable."
The Minnesota Republican called slavery an "evil" and "scourge" and "stain on our history."
"But we also know that the very founders that wrote those documents worked tirelessly until slavery was no more in the United States," Bachmann added, claiming "men like John Quincy Adams... would not rest until slavery was extinguished in the country."
"Green Tea Party"?
.........................................
On CNN's Cafferty File today, the question was "What's behind America's surge in optimism?" One of the comments posted was:
greg magnolia texas January 25th, 2011 4:14 pm ET
why all the optimism? not a clue however, since we are all feeling warm and fuzzy sitting together and such, maybe the tea party can join with the green party to form the green tea party. they would be fiscally conserative [sic] recycle and be healthier.
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On CNN's Cafferty File today, the question was "What's behind America's surge in optimism?" One of the comments posted was:
greg magnolia texas January 25th, 2011 4:14 pm ET
why all the optimism? not a clue however, since we are all feeling warm and fuzzy sitting together and such, maybe the tea party can join with the green party to form the green tea party. they would be fiscally conserative [sic] recycle and be healthier.
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Interesting bits about State of the Union speeches
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Hmmmmm, it doesn't say where Bachmann's kiss landed.....
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State of the Union speech doesn't always go according to script
Here's a side of the State of the Union speech you don't get to see on television: Every year, early on the day of the address, lawmakers begin staking out seats along the center aisle of the House chamber. If the need arises to leave for a moment as the hours wear on, they'll drape a suit jacket or a hometown newspaper over the back of the chair to hold claim to that precious bit of real estate.
The goal of all that waiting is a presidential handshake, maybe an autograph on a copy of the speech - and a fleeting moment of television exposure before an audience that last year was nearly half the size of the Super Bowl's.
Capitol Hill veterans have a nickname for the ritual. In a family newspaper, it probably should be paraphrased as "Rump-Kissers' Alley."
[snipped]
The late congressman G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery (D-Miss.), who was something of a pioneer along the center aisle, used to counsel junior members to sit next to him if they wanted to be sure to snag a presidential handshake.
But Montgomery was a piker compared with some who followed.
In 2007, then-freshman Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) - another regular in the alley - made her first big impression on the country by grabbing Bush on his way out of the chamber. She planted a kiss on him and managed to hang on to him for a full 30 seconds before he was able to escape.
Hmmmmm, it doesn't say where Bachmann's kiss landed.....
...........................
State of the Union speech doesn't always go according to script
Here's a side of the State of the Union speech you don't get to see on television: Every year, early on the day of the address, lawmakers begin staking out seats along the center aisle of the House chamber. If the need arises to leave for a moment as the hours wear on, they'll drape a suit jacket or a hometown newspaper over the back of the chair to hold claim to that precious bit of real estate.
The goal of all that waiting is a presidential handshake, maybe an autograph on a copy of the speech - and a fleeting moment of television exposure before an audience that last year was nearly half the size of the Super Bowl's.
Capitol Hill veterans have a nickname for the ritual. In a family newspaper, it probably should be paraphrased as "Rump-Kissers' Alley."
[snipped]
The late congressman G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery (D-Miss.), who was something of a pioneer along the center aisle, used to counsel junior members to sit next to him if they wanted to be sure to snag a presidential handshake.
But Montgomery was a piker compared with some who followed.
In 2007, then-freshman Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) - another regular in the alley - made her first big impression on the country by grabbing Bush on his way out of the chamber. She planted a kiss on him and managed to hang on to him for a full 30 seconds before he was able to escape.
Monday, January 24, 2011
A Twofer
Read more: http://www.theolympian.com/2011/01/23/1516281/islam-has-no-monopoly-on-religious.html#ixzz1By0SQGuc
From the other Whet_stone quote - To all you anti-gun nuts - shut up
Whet_stone is fluent in Arabic?????????
Voices in your head or words on the screen?
whet_stone 7 minutes ago
We will have to wait till we have all the facts in this case, but often times the perpetrator, since the police were just trying to talk to him before he fled, the perp has a felony warrant of some sort, and the fact that he fled and was carrying a gun makes two an additional charges, and then when he opened fire, the police had absolutely no choice. In this story we should all be in support our police and glad they are there. I wish to thank them and hope for them a speedy recovery. To all you anti-gun nuts - shut up, and you lefties - talk radio had nothing to do with it. Sometimes you ardent 2nd amendment foes and left- wingers really are stupid.
Read more: http://www.theolympian.com/2011/01/24/1517183/2-injured-2-dead-in-walmart-shooting.html#ixzz1BxxsVRII
No one had posted an "anti gun" or "talk radio" comment prior to this. What we do know is that someone had possession of a gun and that someone had no problem in firing at police in a busy retail parking lot.
All is well. The Second Amendment is working.
We will have to wait till we have all the facts in this case, but often times the perpetrator, since the police were just trying to talk to him before he fled, the perp has a felony warrant of some sort, and the fact that he fled and was carrying a gun makes two an additional charges, and then when he opened fire, the police had absolutely no choice. In this story we should all be in support our police and glad they are there. I wish to thank them and hope for them a speedy recovery. To all you anti-gun nuts - shut up, and you lefties - talk radio had nothing to do with it. Sometimes you ardent 2nd amendment foes and left- wingers really are stupid.
Read more: http://www.theolympian.com/2011/01/24/1517183/2-injured-2-dead-in-walmart-shooting.html#ixzz1BxxsVRII
No one had posted an "anti gun" or "talk radio" comment prior to this. What we do know is that someone had possession of a gun and that someone had no problem in firing at police in a busy retail parking lot.
All is well. The Second Amendment is working.
"Say your piece loud and proud with your bare face hanging out"
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Please try to be civilized, you rancid lout
I read something years ago in the Congressional Record that made me laugh out loud. And that’s strange. That dull, dry publication of the House and Senate is normally a printed sleeping pill. The phone book is exciting by comparison.
But not on this day. Sen. Wayne Morse of Oregon was sort of apologizing to his colleague from the same state, Sen. Richard Neuberger. Morse said it had been called to his attention that he had overstepped the bounds of Senate propriety when he referred to Neuberger as “a rancid tub of ignorance.” Therefore, he asked unanimous consent that the word ‘rancid” be stricken from the record, leaving Neuberger only as a tub of ignorance.
[snipped]
Please try to be civilized, you rancid lout
I read something years ago in the Congressional Record that made me laugh out loud. And that’s strange. That dull, dry publication of the House and Senate is normally a printed sleeping pill. The phone book is exciting by comparison.
But not on this day. Sen. Wayne Morse of Oregon was sort of apologizing to his colleague from the same state, Sen. Richard Neuberger. Morse said it had been called to his attention that he had overstepped the bounds of Senate propriety when he referred to Neuberger as “a rancid tub of ignorance.” Therefore, he asked unanimous consent that the word ‘rancid” be stricken from the record, leaving Neuberger only as a tub of ignorance.
[snipped]
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Lurking Lurkers lurking lurkily
http://thurstonblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/for-public-knowledge-and-discussion.html
As you all know, I monitor the stats and I'm always interested in the different page views that pop up.
A week or two ago, I noticed someone was fascinated with a couple of blogs that parodied a newspaper moderator. Overnight, the above linked issue caught two page views. Now I know it's not a simple process to dig into the archives, so I'm thinking that someone has an issue with this particular blog. It's popped up more than once in the past couple months.
I'm guessing that someone is trying to "stir the pot" and is failing miserably, for reasons I'll refrain from sharing. Suffice to say the media and Larry are getting along just fine, thank you.
As you all know, I monitor the stats and I'm always interested in the different page views that pop up.
A week or two ago, I noticed someone was fascinated with a couple of blogs that parodied a newspaper moderator. Overnight, the above linked issue caught two page views. Now I know it's not a simple process to dig into the archives, so I'm thinking that someone has an issue with this particular blog. It's popped up more than once in the past couple months.
I'm guessing that someone is trying to "stir the pot" and is failing miserably, for reasons I'll refrain from sharing. Suffice to say the media and Larry are getting along just fine, thank you.
Friday, January 21, 2011
GOP in too deep?
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Someday soon, the GOP will go silent on health care
Eugene Robinson; the Washington Post
Last updated: January 21st, 2011 12:25 AM (PST)
This whole health care thing isn’t quite working out the way Republicans planned. My guess is that they’ll soon try to change the subject – but I’m afraid they’re already in too deep.
Wednesday’s vote to repeal President Barack Obama’s health insurance reform law was supposed to be a crowning triumph. We heard confident GOP predictions that cowed Democrats would defect in droves, generating unstoppable momentum that forced the Senate to obey “the will of the people” and follow suit. The Democrats’ biggest domestic accomplishment would be in ruins and Obama’s political standing would be damaged, perhaps irreparably.
What actually happened, though, is that the GOP majority managed to win the votes of just three Democrats – all of them Blue Dogs who have been consistent opponents of the reform package. In terms of actual defectors – Democrats who changed sides on the issue – there were none. This is momentum?
The unimpressive vote came at a moment when “the will of the people” on health care is coming into sharper focus. Most polls that offer a simple binary choice – do you like the “Obamacare” law or not – show that the reforms remain narrowly unpopular. Yet a significant fraction of those who are unhappy complain not that the reform law went too far but that it didn’t go far enough. I think of these people as the “public option” crowd.
A recent Associated Press poll found that 41 percent of those surveyed opposed the reform law and 40 percent supported it. But when asked what Congress should do, 43 percent said the law should be modified so that it does more to change the health care system. Another 19 percent said it should be left as it is.
More troubling for the GOP, the poll found that just 26 percent wanted Congress to repeal the reform law completely. A recent Washington Post poll found support for outright repeal at 18 percent; a Marist poll pegged it at 30 percent. In other words, what House Republicans just voted to do may be the will of the tea party but it’s not “the will of the people.”
“The test of a first-rate intelligence,” F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote, “is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.” By this standard, House Republicans are geniuses. To pass the “Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act,” they had to believe that the work of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office is both authoritative and worthless.
The CBO, which “scores” the impact of proposed legislation, calculated that the health reform law will reduce federal deficits by at least $143 billion through 2019. Confronted with the fact that repeal would deepen the nation’s fiscal woe, Republicans simply claimed the CBO estimate to be rubbish. Who cares what the CBO says, anyway?
Er, um, Republicans care, at least when it’s convenient. Delving into the CBO’s analysis, they unearthed a finding that they proclaimed as definitive: The reform law would eliminate 650,000 jobs. Hence “Job-Killing” in the repeal bill’s title.
One problem: The CBO analysis contains no such figure. It’s an extrapolation of a rough estimate of an anticipated effect that no reasonable person would describe as “job-killing.” What the CBO actually said is that there are people who would like to withdraw from the work force – sometimes because of a chronic medical condition – but feel compelled to continue working in order to keep their health insurance. Once the reforms take effect, these individuals will have new options. That’s where the “lost” jobs supposedly come from.
The exercise in intellectual contortion that was necessary for the House to pass the repeal bill will be an excellent tune-up for what’s supposed to come next. “Repeal and replace” was the promise – get rid of the Democrats’ reform plan and design one of their own. This is going to be fun.
It turns out that voters look forward to the day when no one can be denied insurance coverage because of pre-existing conditions. They like the fact that young adults, until they are 26, can be kept on their parents’ policies. They like not having yearly or lifetime limits on benefits. The GOP is going to have to design something that looks a lot like Obamacare.
Meanwhile, Obama’s approval ratings climb higher every week.
Somebody change the subject. Quick!
Someday soon, the GOP will go silent on health care
Eugene Robinson; the Washington Post
Last updated: January 21st, 2011 12:25 AM (PST)
This whole health care thing isn’t quite working out the way Republicans planned. My guess is that they’ll soon try to change the subject – but I’m afraid they’re already in too deep.
Wednesday’s vote to repeal President Barack Obama’s health insurance reform law was supposed to be a crowning triumph. We heard confident GOP predictions that cowed Democrats would defect in droves, generating unstoppable momentum that forced the Senate to obey “the will of the people” and follow suit. The Democrats’ biggest domestic accomplishment would be in ruins and Obama’s political standing would be damaged, perhaps irreparably.
What actually happened, though, is that the GOP majority managed to win the votes of just three Democrats – all of them Blue Dogs who have been consistent opponents of the reform package. In terms of actual defectors – Democrats who changed sides on the issue – there were none. This is momentum?
The unimpressive vote came at a moment when “the will of the people” on health care is coming into sharper focus. Most polls that offer a simple binary choice – do you like the “Obamacare” law or not – show that the reforms remain narrowly unpopular. Yet a significant fraction of those who are unhappy complain not that the reform law went too far but that it didn’t go far enough. I think of these people as the “public option” crowd.
A recent Associated Press poll found that 41 percent of those surveyed opposed the reform law and 40 percent supported it. But when asked what Congress should do, 43 percent said the law should be modified so that it does more to change the health care system. Another 19 percent said it should be left as it is.
More troubling for the GOP, the poll found that just 26 percent wanted Congress to repeal the reform law completely. A recent Washington Post poll found support for outright repeal at 18 percent; a Marist poll pegged it at 30 percent. In other words, what House Republicans just voted to do may be the will of the tea party but it’s not “the will of the people.”
“The test of a first-rate intelligence,” F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote, “is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.” By this standard, House Republicans are geniuses. To pass the “Repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Law Act,” they had to believe that the work of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office is both authoritative and worthless.
The CBO, which “scores” the impact of proposed legislation, calculated that the health reform law will reduce federal deficits by at least $143 billion through 2019. Confronted with the fact that repeal would deepen the nation’s fiscal woe, Republicans simply claimed the CBO estimate to be rubbish. Who cares what the CBO says, anyway?
Er, um, Republicans care, at least when it’s convenient. Delving into the CBO’s analysis, they unearthed a finding that they proclaimed as definitive: The reform law would eliminate 650,000 jobs. Hence “Job-Killing” in the repeal bill’s title.
One problem: The CBO analysis contains no such figure. It’s an extrapolation of a rough estimate of an anticipated effect that no reasonable person would describe as “job-killing.” What the CBO actually said is that there are people who would like to withdraw from the work force – sometimes because of a chronic medical condition – but feel compelled to continue working in order to keep their health insurance. Once the reforms take effect, these individuals will have new options. That’s where the “lost” jobs supposedly come from.
The exercise in intellectual contortion that was necessary for the House to pass the repeal bill will be an excellent tune-up for what’s supposed to come next. “Repeal and replace” was the promise – get rid of the Democrats’ reform plan and design one of their own. This is going to be fun.
It turns out that voters look forward to the day when no one can be denied insurance coverage because of pre-existing conditions. They like the fact that young adults, until they are 26, can be kept on their parents’ policies. They like not having yearly or lifetime limits on benefits. The GOP is going to have to design something that looks a lot like Obamacare.
Meanwhile, Obama’s approval ratings climb higher every week.
Somebody change the subject. Quick!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Palin is stuck on "me"
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Why America is growing tired of Palin
Washington (CNN) -- OK, you've got Palin fatigue. Not to worry. So does much of the country: The latest CNN poll shows that 56 percent of Americans view her unfavorably.
More damaging, though, is this: Sarah Palin's unfavorable rating among women has gone up 10 points. And 59 percent of those all-important independent voters don't like her -- and that's up a stunning 14 points in just a few months.
You might argue it's because of the debate surrounding the Tucson shootings -- specifically, Palin's tone-deaf response to the unfair charges that she was somehow responsible for a deranged shooter's state of mind. And that could well be part of it. But there's more: She's completely overstayed her welcome.
We've watched her morph from the hockey mom into a multi-media extravaganza that knocks on our door every day to sell something, without any invitation.
[snipped]
... Palin, alas, is still stuck on the "me" part.
[snipped]
Why America is growing tired of Palin
January 20, 2011
More damaging, though, is this: Sarah Palin's unfavorable rating among women has gone up 10 points. And 59 percent of those all-important independent voters don't like her -- and that's up a stunning 14 points in just a few months.
You might argue it's because of the debate surrounding the Tucson shootings -- specifically, Palin's tone-deaf response to the unfair charges that she was somehow responsible for a deranged shooter's state of mind. And that could well be part of it. But there's more: She's completely overstayed her welcome.
We've watched her morph from the hockey mom into a multi-media extravaganza that knocks on our door every day to sell something, without any invitation.
[snipped]
... Palin, alas, is still stuck on the "me" part.
[snipped]
Red states snort 'bath salts'
In their search for new and legal ways to get high, people are increasingly ingesting an addictive substance sold in stores as bath salts, say police and health officials.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Can you say "Socialism"?
Packers "owners" are not paid dividends for their "stock" and many of them can't even afford season tickets. It's a community pride and a way of keeping professional football in a market that wouldn't be looked at, by the wealthy NFL owners.
I wonder how many of the Conservative anti-socialism types will be rooting for the Pack this weekend.
Scientists aim to bring mammoth back to life
Mammoths, which went extinct about 10,000 years ago, may once again walk the Earth.
A team of researchers will attempt to resurrect the species using cloning technologies after obtaining tissue this summer from the carcass of a mammoth preserved in a Russian mammoth research laboratory. It has already established a technique to extract DNA from frozen cells.
"Preparations to realize this goal have been made," said Prof. Akira Iritani, leader of the team and a professor emeritus of Kyoto University.
Under the plan, the nuclei of mammoth cells will be inserted into an elephant's egg cells from which the nuclei have been removed to create an embryo containing mammoth genes.
The embryo will then be inserted into an elephant's womb in the hope that the animal will give birth to a baby mammoth.
A team of researchers will attempt to resurrect the species using cloning technologies after obtaining tissue this summer from the carcass of a mammoth preserved in a Russian mammoth research laboratory. It has already established a technique to extract DNA from frozen cells.
"Preparations to realize this goal have been made," said Prof. Akira Iritani, leader of the team and a professor emeritus of Kyoto University.
Under the plan, the nuclei of mammoth cells will be inserted into an elephant's egg cells from which the nuclei have been removed to create an embryo containing mammoth genes.
The embryo will then be inserted into an elephant's womb in the hope that the animal will give birth to a baby mammoth.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
The World is a Smaller Place Today
A giant died today. R. Sargent Shriver served his country well and selflessly for most of his adult life. He was the first director of the Peace Corps. When Lyndon Johnson declared his War on Poverty, he tapped Shriver to lead the charge. When George McGovern’s presidential campaign was mortally wounded, it was Sargent Shriver who agreed to step in as his running mate.
Sarge’s most overlooked achievement, though, was being worthy to marry Eunice Kennedy, who was perhaps the greatest woman of her generation.
The world is, indeed, a smaller place today. Rest in peace, Sarge. You've earned it.
Ricky Gervais-- darling of the righties
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Conservatives rally behind Ricky Gervais
By Paul Bond
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - British comedian Ricky Gervais is the new darling of political conservatives thanks to the fusillade of insults he directed at the aghast celebrities attending the weekend's Golden Globe Awards.
Delighted at the sight of Gervais belittling Hollywood elitists who they maintain do likewise to them regularly, the right-wing blogosphere lit up with positive reviews, even while more traditional media was critical of Sunday's telecast.
Had Gervais "been as relentless in ripping apart Sarah Palin, her young children, Jesus Christ or George W. Bush, today the comedian would be celebrated as 'edgy' and 'courageous'," noted John Nolte, editor of the Andrew Breitbart website Big Hollywood.
Instead, the Washington Post said Gervais "crashed" and the New York Times said he was "merciless" and in "bad form." Philip Berk, president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the event's organizer, said some of the things Gervais said "were totally unacceptable."
Nolte, though, likened Gervais' jabs at various actors and the HFPA as a much-needed "sucker punch" leveled against elite bullies who do likewise to middle America on a routine basis.
At Pajamas Media, a conservative and libertarian news organization, CEO Roger Simon wrote that Gervais "has been roundly attacked for being rude to practically everyone, including the HFPA, whose event it was. Problem is: he was right, particularly about the HFPA."
The U.K's right-leaning Daily Mail weighed in via a lengthy, positive analysis of Gervais' performance that was headlined: "Bravo, Ricky Gervais! A risque' attack on self-loving Tinseltown."
"The flock didn't know what to do because it had never encountered such risky mockery," author Quentin Letts wrote, praising Gervais for his rebellious performance.
"Hollywood and its power brokers hate a rebel. It is a place of groupthink and almost terminal political correctness."
On Sunday night Gervais earned himself a cult following around the world, Letts opined, as "the man who went to Hollywood and told them what a bunch of self-regarding boobies they are."
...............................
Conservatives rally behind Ricky Gervais
By Paul Bond
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - British comedian Ricky Gervais is the new darling of political conservatives thanks to the fusillade of insults he directed at the aghast celebrities attending the weekend's Golden Globe Awards.
Delighted at the sight of Gervais belittling Hollywood elitists who they maintain do likewise to them regularly, the right-wing blogosphere lit up with positive reviews, even while more traditional media was critical of Sunday's telecast.
Had Gervais "been as relentless in ripping apart Sarah Palin, her young children, Jesus Christ or George W. Bush, today the comedian would be celebrated as 'edgy' and 'courageous'," noted John Nolte, editor of the Andrew Breitbart website Big Hollywood.
Instead, the Washington Post said Gervais "crashed" and the New York Times said he was "merciless" and in "bad form." Philip Berk, president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the event's organizer, said some of the things Gervais said "were totally unacceptable."
Nolte, though, likened Gervais' jabs at various actors and the HFPA as a much-needed "sucker punch" leveled against elite bullies who do likewise to middle America on a routine basis.
At Pajamas Media, a conservative and libertarian news organization, CEO Roger Simon wrote that Gervais "has been roundly attacked for being rude to practically everyone, including the HFPA, whose event it was. Problem is: he was right, particularly about the HFPA."
The U.K's right-leaning Daily Mail weighed in via a lengthy, positive analysis of Gervais' performance that was headlined: "Bravo, Ricky Gervais! A risque' attack on self-loving Tinseltown."
"The flock didn't know what to do because it had never encountered such risky mockery," author Quentin Letts wrote, praising Gervais for his rebellious performance.
"Hollywood and its power brokers hate a rebel. It is a place of groupthink and almost terminal political correctness."
On Sunday night Gervais earned himself a cult following around the world, Letts opined, as "the man who went to Hollywood and told them what a bunch of self-regarding boobies they are."
...............................
Monday, January 17, 2011
The People's Business
When Congress returns to work this week it faces a daunting work load, beginning with the ill-advised attempt to repeal the Health Care Bill. As members of Congress undertake the work of the people, I hope they will remember one of their own who is, at least temporarily, not with them.
If I could, I would have each member of Congress; each member of the Senate; every Congressional and White House staffer wear a bracelet with the message WWGD: What would Gabby Do?
Do I agree with every position that Gabrielle Giffords took? Of course not. But from what I can see, every action she took as a Congresswoman was taken with the goal of furthering the interests of her constituents, balanced against the interests of the country. In my view, too few of our elected representatives take this approach.
We need to change that.
"Palin wants you to know that this isn't about her"
.............................
Sarah Palin on Tucson—And Why Everyone Hates Her
Sarah Palin is all about free speech—unless it's directed at her. Speaking to Sean Hannity on Fox News Monday night, Palin gave her first interview since the January 8 shooting in Tucson. She repeatedly invoked the country's right to free speech, but condemned what she called the "lamestream" media's response to her comments around the Arizona shootings.
But first! Palin wants you to know that this isn't about her. "This isn't about me, and my response four days after the horrendous events. My defense wasn't self-defense, it was defending those who were falsely accused."
The crosshairs map that featured Giffords and her district, well, everyone uses crosshair imagery--even Democrats. "Democrats have been using them for years," she told Hannity. But anyway, "it has nothing to do with an apolitical or perhaps left-leaning criminal."
While her interview with Hannity was technically on friendly terms, there seemed an undercurrent of tension between the two. At one point, Hannity diverged from all the Tucson shooter talk to point out to Palin just how many people hate her. Showing quotes from Madonna and Sandra Bernhard (of all people), Hannity asked Palin whether all the hate affected her political chances. "Some people say Sarah Palin is radioactive? How does this impact your political future?"
Palin responded by recalling Martin Luther King Jr. "On this day, celebrating the legacy and the life of Martin Luther King, he reminded me 'a lie cannot live.'"
And she doesn't mind being a martyr, really, it's okay. "I'm thankful for the opportunity that I have to speak for many. I'll take the darts and the arrows because I know that others have my back," she told Hannity.
But will she be president? Will she? "I am not ready to make an announcement about what my political future to be. I'm not going to sit down. I'm not going to shut up."
Sarah Palin on Tucson—And Why Everyone Hates Her
Sarah Palin is all about free speech—unless it's directed at her. Speaking to Sean Hannity on Fox News Monday night, Palin gave her first interview since the January 8 shooting in Tucson. She repeatedly invoked the country's right to free speech, but condemned what she called the "lamestream" media's response to her comments around the Arizona shootings.
But first! Palin wants you to know that this isn't about her. "This isn't about me, and my response four days after the horrendous events. My defense wasn't self-defense, it was defending those who were falsely accused."
The crosshairs map that featured Giffords and her district, well, everyone uses crosshair imagery--even Democrats. "Democrats have been using them for years," she told Hannity. But anyway, "it has nothing to do with an apolitical or perhaps left-leaning criminal."
While her interview with Hannity was technically on friendly terms, there seemed an undercurrent of tension between the two. At one point, Hannity diverged from all the Tucson shooter talk to point out to Palin just how many people hate her. Showing quotes from Madonna and Sandra Bernhard (of all people), Hannity asked Palin whether all the hate affected her political chances. "Some people say Sarah Palin is radioactive? How does this impact your political future?"
Palin responded by recalling Martin Luther King Jr. "On this day, celebrating the legacy and the life of Martin Luther King, he reminded me 'a lie cannot live.'"
And she doesn't mind being a martyr, really, it's okay. "I'm thankful for the opportunity that I have to speak for many. I'll take the darts and the arrows because I know that others have my back," she told Hannity.
But will she be president? Will she? "I am not ready to make an announcement about what my political future to be. I'm not going to sit down. I'm not going to shut up."
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Post August 2009
Read more: http://www.theolympian.com/2011/01/15/1506946/place-blame-where-it-should-be.html#disqus_thread#ixzz1BFujLnR0
Of course, that was AFTER August of 2009 when they disrupted town hall meetings and threatened Congressional reps. As we all know, the Democrats broke the windows of their own offices because the TEA Party says so. I've never seen a garbage can thrown at a Democratic rally.
"Embracing Civility": Fox News a la Saturday Night Live
....................
Saturday, January 15, 2011
On Saturday Night Live’s version of FOX News, the network decided to turn over a new leaf and give civil, polite political discourse a try. Kristen Wiig’s Greta van Susteren spearheaded the initiative, joined by Sean Hannity, Michelle Malkin and an already-struggling-to-be-civil Glenn Beck.
Things went quite well initially, but Malkin, Hannity and Beck were unable to go on after hearing James Carville brag about his meal at a vegan restaurant, and watching Rachel Maddow hijack Beck’s blackboard. The more things change, the more they stay the same!
While it was an admirably creative attempt to comment on the debate over political rhetoric that has gripped cable news this week without getting super heavy, the sketch…wasn’t super funny. Can’t win ‘em all — watch it below. [Hey, I thought it was hilarious!--A98507]
SNL: FOX News Gives “Embracing Civility” A Try, Is Defeated By James Carville
...........................
Saturday, January 15, 2011
On Saturday Night Live’s version of FOX News, the network decided to turn over a new leaf and give civil, polite political discourse a try. Kristen Wiig’s Greta van Susteren spearheaded the initiative, joined by Sean Hannity, Michelle Malkin and an already-struggling-to-be-civil Glenn Beck.
Things went quite well initially, but Malkin, Hannity and Beck were unable to go on after hearing James Carville brag about his meal at a vegan restaurant, and watching Rachel Maddow hijack Beck’s blackboard. The more things change, the more they stay the same!
While it was an admirably creative attempt to comment on the debate over political rhetoric that has gripped cable news this week without getting super heavy, the sketch…wasn’t super funny. Can’t win ‘em all — watch it below. [Hey, I thought it was hilarious!--A98507]
SNL: FOX News Gives “Embracing Civility” A Try, Is Defeated By James Carville
...........................
Saturday, January 15, 2011
John Boehner stubbed his toe
........................
RNC vote shows limits of John Boehner's reach
Members of the Republican National Committee sent a clear message Friday to the rest of the GOP when they elected Reince Priebus as their new chairman: There’s at least one corner of the Republican Party that’s beyond House Speaker John Boehner’s reach.
[snipped]
.........................
RNC vote shows limits of John Boehner's reach
Members of the Republican National Committee sent a clear message Friday to the rest of the GOP when they elected Reince Priebus as their new chairman: There’s at least one corner of the Republican Party that’s beyond House Speaker John Boehner’s reach.
[snipped]
.........................
Man Shot in Tucson Rampage Is Arrested
.................................
Man Shot in Tucson Rampage Is Arrested at a TV Taping
TUCSON — A victim of the shooting spree here that killed six people and wounded 13, including Representative Gabrielle Giffords, was arrested Saturday after he spoke threateningly at a televised forum intended to help this stricken city heal, the police and witnesses said.
The man, J. Eric Fuller, 63, a military veteran who supports Ms. Giffords, was “involuntarily committed for mental health evaluation,” said Jason Ogan, a spokesman for the Pima County sheriff’s office.
Mr. Fuller, who was shot in the left knee and back on Jan. 8, was among several victims, medical personnel and others who attended a special forum at St. Odilia Catholic Church hosted by Christiane Amanpour to be televised Sunday on ABC.
State Representative Terri Proud, a Republican, was sitting two rows behind Mr. Fuller. The topic of gun control came up in the forum, she said, and one of the speakers made a comment about a bill introduced recently in Arizona that would allow faculty members on college campuses with concealed weapons permits to carry guns.
Ms. Proud said she spoke up to clarify the bill’s language. Trent Humphries, the founder of the Tucson Tea Party, who was sitting one row behind her, rose to speak and suggested that discussion about gun legislation be postponed until after the funerals. He started to say that he had also been affected by the tragedy because a neighbor was a victim.
At that point, Ms. Proud said, Mr. Fuller blurted out to Mr. Humphries, “You’re dead.”
Mr. Fuller then began to “behave in a very odd manner,” she said. “He was making inappropriate comments.”
Ms. Proud said that after the forum ended, she went to one of the police officers providing security at the forum and asked him to file a report about Mr. Fuller’s remark to Mr. Humphries. The officer told her it was being investigated.
About five police officers surrounded Mr. Fuller and escorted him out. As he was leaving, Ms. Proud said, he turned and yelled, “You’re all whores!”
Mr. Fuller was also involved in a confrontation on Jan. 8, shortly before the attack on Ms. Giffords, which occurred at an event she held for her constituents outside a Safeway supermarket. He said in a long interview last week with The New York Times that he had argued there with a man he described as a former Marine after a heated discussion over politics. Gabriel Zimmerman, an aide to Ms. Giffords, separated the two.
Mr. Zimmerman was killed in the attack later that morning.
Mr. Fuller spoke dismissively of Republicans during the interview. “They appeal to simple-minded rednecks,” he said.
He said that he had had trouble sleeping after he was wounded and that he calmed himself the first night by writing down the Declaration of Independence, which he had memorized three decades earlier.
In the first days after the attack, his anger seemed especially strong. In the interview, he repeatedly denounced the “Tea Party crime syndicate,” and said he placed some of the blame for the shooting on Sarah Palin and other Republican leaders, saying he believed they had contributed to a toxic atmosphere.
He said he had expected to see protesters at Ms. Giffords’s event, and had planned “to shout them down because I can make a lot of noise.”
Speaking of Jared L. Loughner, who is accused of being the gunman, he said, “Saying anything about him would be a waste of breath. Recognizing his existence is a waste. I don’t like his face.”
Later in the week, Mr. Fuller visited the Loughner home to apologize to the parents for calling their son names, according to reporters at the scene. They said he did not manage to see them.
Mr. Fuller used to drive a limousine, but in recent years, he said, he got by working various odd jobs, including collecting signatures for political campaigns.
In an interview with The Arizona Republic, Dr. Laura Nelson, deputy director of the Division of Behavioral Sciences of the Arizona Department of Health Services, said that Mr. Fuller’s actions could be a response to the trauma he suffered in the shooting.
“Grief after what happened here in Tucson last week is a completely normal reaction, and anger is a very common symptom of grief,” said Dr. Nelson, who was invited to speak at the forum. “I hope that he’ll get the help that he needs to get through this very difficult time.”
................................
Man Shot in Tucson Rampage Is Arrested at a TV Taping
TUCSON — A victim of the shooting spree here that killed six people and wounded 13, including Representative Gabrielle Giffords, was arrested Saturday after he spoke threateningly at a televised forum intended to help this stricken city heal, the police and witnesses said.
The man, J. Eric Fuller, 63, a military veteran who supports Ms. Giffords, was “involuntarily committed for mental health evaluation,” said Jason Ogan, a spokesman for the Pima County sheriff’s office.
Mr. Fuller, who was shot in the left knee and back on Jan. 8, was among several victims, medical personnel and others who attended a special forum at St. Odilia Catholic Church hosted by Christiane Amanpour to be televised Sunday on ABC.
State Representative Terri Proud, a Republican, was sitting two rows behind Mr. Fuller. The topic of gun control came up in the forum, she said, and one of the speakers made a comment about a bill introduced recently in Arizona that would allow faculty members on college campuses with concealed weapons permits to carry guns.
Ms. Proud said she spoke up to clarify the bill’s language. Trent Humphries, the founder of the Tucson Tea Party, who was sitting one row behind her, rose to speak and suggested that discussion about gun legislation be postponed until after the funerals. He started to say that he had also been affected by the tragedy because a neighbor was a victim.
At that point, Ms. Proud said, Mr. Fuller blurted out to Mr. Humphries, “You’re dead.”
Mr. Fuller then began to “behave in a very odd manner,” she said. “He was making inappropriate comments.”
Ms. Proud said that after the forum ended, she went to one of the police officers providing security at the forum and asked him to file a report about Mr. Fuller’s remark to Mr. Humphries. The officer told her it was being investigated.
About five police officers surrounded Mr. Fuller and escorted him out. As he was leaving, Ms. Proud said, he turned and yelled, “You’re all whores!”
Mr. Fuller was also involved in a confrontation on Jan. 8, shortly before the attack on Ms. Giffords, which occurred at an event she held for her constituents outside a Safeway supermarket. He said in a long interview last week with The New York Times that he had argued there with a man he described as a former Marine after a heated discussion over politics. Gabriel Zimmerman, an aide to Ms. Giffords, separated the two.
Mr. Zimmerman was killed in the attack later that morning.
Mr. Fuller spoke dismissively of Republicans during the interview. “They appeal to simple-minded rednecks,” he said.
He said that he had had trouble sleeping after he was wounded and that he calmed himself the first night by writing down the Declaration of Independence, which he had memorized three decades earlier.
In the first days after the attack, his anger seemed especially strong. In the interview, he repeatedly denounced the “Tea Party crime syndicate,” and said he placed some of the blame for the shooting on Sarah Palin and other Republican leaders, saying he believed they had contributed to a toxic atmosphere.
He said he had expected to see protesters at Ms. Giffords’s event, and had planned “to shout them down because I can make a lot of noise.”
Speaking of Jared L. Loughner, who is accused of being the gunman, he said, “Saying anything about him would be a waste of breath. Recognizing his existence is a waste. I don’t like his face.”
Later in the week, Mr. Fuller visited the Loughner home to apologize to the parents for calling their son names, according to reporters at the scene. They said he did not manage to see them.
Mr. Fuller used to drive a limousine, but in recent years, he said, he got by working various odd jobs, including collecting signatures for political campaigns.
In an interview with The Arizona Republic, Dr. Laura Nelson, deputy director of the Division of Behavioral Sciences of the Arizona Department of Health Services, said that Mr. Fuller’s actions could be a response to the trauma he suffered in the shooting.
“Grief after what happened here in Tucson last week is a completely normal reaction, and anger is a very common symptom of grief,” said Dr. Nelson, who was invited to speak at the forum. “I hope that he’ll get the help that he needs to get through this very difficult time.”
................................
Criticisms of the Tucson memorial service
........................
Critics Assail Cheering and T-Shirts at Obama Tucson Speech
[snipped]
... coming in for criticism was the boisterous crowd at the event, which included 14,000 in the arena and another 10,000 in the overflow room, many of them college students. While the president was cheered wildly, some in attendance booed Arizona Republican governor Jan Brewer, prompting complaints that the event was more partisan pep rally than solemn remembrance.
In the New York Post, John Podhoretz wrote that "the president's stunning speech was marred by the feeling of the evening that surrounded it and the appalling behavior of the crowd in Tucson listening to it."
"It was as though no one in the arena but the immediate mourners and sufferers had the least notion of displaying respectful solemnity in the face of breathtaking loss and terrifying evil," he added. "... The tone of the event came to resemble a pep rally, no matter the monstrous fact of the six dead and the many injured."
[snipped]
Tucson Republican Mayor Bob Walkup told Politico that the mood of the rally was appropriate.
"If there was one thing that was appropriate, it was cheering," he said. "I've been in the hospital, and the people that are healing, they want to hear people cheer."
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SOME OF THE POSITIVE COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE, extracted from the usual negative ones:
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by LRachael January 15, 2011 3:46 AM EST
To all who have a hard time understanding why people from Tucson were cheering at the memorial: Perhaps it might help if you knew about our annual tradition of the Day of the Dead (Dia De Los Muertos) procession. We dress up in black or as skeletons, and we carry images and handmade memorials of people we have lost over the year. Over 20,000 of us gather on 4th avenue and walk in procession through downtown. It's profoundly reverent. But you know what? We cheer, we celebrate, we bring drums and incense and we DANCE. You can get a flavor of it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8xcBJsHIxE&feature=fvw This may be different than how your community processes grief, but please don't judge our way of grieving. Trust me, our loss is genuine. Please stand by us in this difficult time-- the last thing we need is judgment.
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by Rodeo_Joe January 15, 2011 1:00 AM EST
Real Heroes live in Tucson.
"Real" Americans live in Tucson.
The Memorial service was for, and by, Tucsonans.
It was THEIR service. Comprendes?
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by MikeSech January 14, 2011 5:02 PM EST
Cheering in Tucson
I live in Tucson, and I attended the Wednesday memorial service at which President Obama and several other attendees were cheered and applauded repeatedly during the evening. I suspect that anyone who is criticizing the good citizens of Tucson did not stand with them for six and eight and twelve hours to get in to this event. Perhaps if they had, those critics might have understood the grand emotions those twenty-five thousand people were feeling: sorrow for the dead and their families, joy for the survivors and their loved ones, hope for our city and our country, and knowledge that the others around us were joined in those emotions. Please excuse us if we did not conform to some New York or Washington, D.C. model of decorum in our expression of feelings. And please do not try to politicize our gathering in retrospect. We had just gone through four days of hell, and still had to face on Thursday and beyond the final services for those we had lost. We came together with the leaders of our city, state and country to look for a way forward, and many of us found it. We came to cheer our heroes, the student who staunched Gabrielle Giffords' wounds, the people who wrestled the gunman to the ground and held him for the police, our medical community which poured its soul into saving our victims, and the elected leaders who bravely showed us that democracy had not been assassinated by a mad man.
Did we cheer and applaud? Loudly and happily.
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by MCAinTucson January 14, 2011 8:28 PM EST
The cheering was for the heroes and the tears were for victims. Who are you to tell us how to mourn and how to grieve? I was in line for 4 hours with retirees, working people who took time off and brought their children and students of all ages to support the victims and yes, cheer the heroes of that day. The tee-shirts and ribbons showed support for the victims and the people of Tucson. Those tee-shirts were made by and given away be the students of the University of Arizona. Your embarrassment is yours only, and shows a lack of understanding of what happened here on Saturday. I am proud of the response by this city.
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by Mark520x January 14, 2011 12:49 PM EST
Let me clear this up for all of you, as there seems to be a lot of confusion. The reason there was so much cheering is because we choose to celebrate the lives of those we lost. We choose to put the evil of this entire catastrophe aside, if only for a few minutes. I would want my friends, family, and community to celebrate my life if I happened to be one of the victims of this. The fact that the President of the United States came to our university, the University of Arizona, was so touching. We know that the rest of America (for the most part) stands with us. We are very grateful for the kindness shown to us by President Obama and his staff.
As for Jan Brewer, you have to understand this, too: Jan Brewer was able to enact an unconstitutional law that made it legal for police in our fine state to demand to see papers at random of any citizen with pigment in their skin. We have border patrol trucks patrolling our city. We are now compared to Missouri because of our apparent intolerance of others. She has ruined our state's reputation simply by manipulating the masses of sheep.
Now, on a personal note, how dare you question how we choose to honor the innocent victims of this insanity. Once you have a tragedy in your community, you can hold whatever kind of ceremony you want. Until then, ****.
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by January 14, 2011 11:02 AM EST
Those who are fixated on tee shirts given by the University of Arizona or the enthusiasm of college students are willfully ignoring the real content of the memorial. President Obama led our nation in mourning the victims, celebrating the heroes, beginning the healing from this tragedy and encouraging us to be better individuals and become a better nation. There was no political message, it was personal, emotional and inspiring. And for me, thousands spreading the message "Together we thrive" seems a positive response to senseless violence. E pluribus unum.
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by mikelpond January 13, 2011 7:36 PM EST
Michelle is confused: a t-shirt that reads "together we thrive" is only partisan to someone who sees partisanship in everything. I repeat, Michelle is confused by a non-partisan message because she lives and breaths partisanship. And Bret Hume is a radical nut-case. sorry.
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by tr4187 January 13, 2011 7:29 PM EST
I was present at the memorial in Tucson and as a Tucson native I can tell you that we are a very tight- knit community and in no way were our intentions to be disrespectful. What you could not see from your television screen were the tears rolling down everybody's faces as they "cheered" in honor of the heroes of our tragedy and for our survivors and for the miracle of our congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords still being alive! We also applauded when our president called for unity and asked that the death of our neighbors not to be in vein! We have all cried every day since this had happened and have heard countless stories from our families and friends of how they or someone they know have been affected by this. Most of you have no idea what we've been through?so judge us if you must but also keep in mind the the "hooting and hollering" as you call it?was just our way of expressing the hope, faith and unity that Obama's kind words provided. It uplifted our spirits and is helping us start to see the light at the end of a very dark tunnel and in no way does this mean that we will soon forget the tragedy that occurred or the six people/neighbors/family/friends that we lost
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by modpa101 January 13, 2011 7:12 PM EST
It's evident why Malkin is a blogger and not a reporter. A little investigating would have shown that the event and the venue were established before the President's decision to attend. The shirts were designed by the event organizers. The event was originally designed as a way for the University to bring the community together.
I have met Gabby, my teen-aged son volunteered at her office during elections, other members of my family are very close to her and Gabe who died. We have all been in shock since Saturday. This has been a gut-wrenching and often sleepless 5 days. We are sad and angry. Some of my anger is purely selfish. I'm mad that someone effectively, albeit temporarily, has removed my voice from Congress. I'm mad whenever I see my son upset. I'm mad every time I pass by her office a mile away from me. I'm mad that I'm still mad.
I took my son to see the President speak. I did get a T-shirt from the student volunteers, I didn't make any connection to any campaigning. I thought the crowd was a bit energetic, but it was exciting to see the President.
What was comforting was the way the President's speech seem to lighten the hearts of my teenage son and my family in a way that my words could not. For the first time in too many days, people were feeling something.
I will not get mad again because someone didn't want a T-shirt, or they thought the whoops for Gabby's recovery, for the heroic people involved, and for the memory of those we lost were too loud.
And Ms. Malkin, traditional Yaqui ceremonies are not babble.
...................................................................
by kidofstl January 13, 2011 4:48 PM EST
come on folks and let's face this for what it is. People that don't like President Obama for WHATEVER reason (and they have that right not to) are not going to approve of ANYTHING he does. If he had told the audience to "calm down and not cheer" then the critics would have said "Who does he think he is, this is NOT about him" If he had said not to pass out T-shirts they would have said the same thing. It has more to do with the Obama-haters really than what happened here last night. I think the speech may have run a tad bit long, but if he had left out any victim's name he would have caught it about that too. I always said that President Obama could find a cure for diabetes and some on the right would complain that he's putting some doctors out of work.
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by tenayaj January 13, 2011 4:32 PM EST
I must say, as a University of Arizona student, Tucson resident, and a member of the audience last night, this article is off base. There was no spirit of a "pep rally" last night. While yes, there was cheering and there were t-shirts, it only served to remind Tucson that as a community we are there to support those who are directly affected and devastated by the event of last Saturday. We cheered when we were uplifted, when we were reminded that the heroes of Saturday prove that there is hope for this country, and when we felt called to make our world a better place for our future generations. This had nothing to do with politics. The slogan and t-shirts are for the community, not for the President. Please remember, we asked him to come. He did not organize this. For the thousands who were there last night who were only affected collectively as a community, this memorial was a chance to come together, to show the families of the victims that we are supporting them every step of the way. This may be a city of half a million people, but we intend to stick together and find the light in this darkness. We mean no disrespect to the victims and their families, and this article does exactly the opposite. Please, stop arguing about politics and campaigns and remember that six innocent people died, and a dozen more were wounded. It doesn't matter who votes for who, let's just make sure that we learn from this and make the world a better place.
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by PilgrimSoul January 13, 2011 3:57 PM EST
There's no right way or wrong way to grieve. When John Belushi died, his best friend rode into the funeral on a motorcycle, in full leathers. I can give you plenty of other examples, from my own experience. Ask any clergy who have facilitated memorial services. Grieving takes every different form that you can imagine. If ever there's a time to cut people slack, that's the time.
In this case, it took the form of an exuberant, cheering group of people who were saying "No" to evil, who were saying "No" to death, and celebrating the best in the people that died, and the best in the people that risked their lives to save others. They were saying, "We're going to honor you by being good Americans." Cheering? Damn right. This country is worth cheering for.
The president's speech was awesome. It spoke, as Lincoln spoke, to our "better angels." I support Malkin's right to say her piece, but I'm afraid there's something wrong with that woman's soul. She personifies the worst aspects of partisanship--bitter, spiteful, and mean-spirited.
Thank God Obama was at his best. He comforted us, but he challenged us to be better. We needed that.
.................................................................................
Critics Assail Cheering and T-Shirts at Obama Tucson Speech
[snipped]
... coming in for criticism was the boisterous crowd at the event, which included 14,000 in the arena and another 10,000 in the overflow room, many of them college students. While the president was cheered wildly, some in attendance booed Arizona Republican governor Jan Brewer, prompting complaints that the event was more partisan pep rally than solemn remembrance.
In the New York Post, John Podhoretz wrote that "the president's stunning speech was marred by the feeling of the evening that surrounded it and the appalling behavior of the crowd in Tucson listening to it."
"It was as though no one in the arena but the immediate mourners and sufferers had the least notion of displaying respectful solemnity in the face of breathtaking loss and terrifying evil," he added. "... The tone of the event came to resemble a pep rally, no matter the monstrous fact of the six dead and the many injured."
[snipped]
Tucson Republican Mayor Bob Walkup told Politico that the mood of the rally was appropriate.
"If there was one thing that was appropriate, it was cheering," he said. "I've been in the hospital, and the people that are healing, they want to hear people cheer."
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SOME OF THE POSITIVE COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE, extracted from the usual negative ones:
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by LRachael January 15, 2011 3:46 AM EST
To all who have a hard time understanding why people from Tucson were cheering at the memorial: Perhaps it might help if you knew about our annual tradition of the Day of the Dead (Dia De Los Muertos) procession. We dress up in black or as skeletons, and we carry images and handmade memorials of people we have lost over the year. Over 20,000 of us gather on 4th avenue and walk in procession through downtown. It's profoundly reverent. But you know what? We cheer, we celebrate, we bring drums and incense and we DANCE. You can get a flavor of it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8xcBJsHIxE&feature=fvw This may be different than how your community processes grief, but please don't judge our way of grieving. Trust me, our loss is genuine. Please stand by us in this difficult time-- the last thing we need is judgment.
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by Rodeo_Joe January 15, 2011 1:00 AM EST
Real Heroes live in Tucson.
"Real" Americans live in Tucson.
The Memorial service was for, and by, Tucsonans.
It was THEIR service. Comprendes?
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by MikeSech January 14, 2011 5:02 PM EST
Cheering in Tucson
I live in Tucson, and I attended the Wednesday memorial service at which President Obama and several other attendees were cheered and applauded repeatedly during the evening. I suspect that anyone who is criticizing the good citizens of Tucson did not stand with them for six and eight and twelve hours to get in to this event. Perhaps if they had, those critics might have understood the grand emotions those twenty-five thousand people were feeling: sorrow for the dead and their families, joy for the survivors and their loved ones, hope for our city and our country, and knowledge that the others around us were joined in those emotions. Please excuse us if we did not conform to some New York or Washington, D.C. model of decorum in our expression of feelings. And please do not try to politicize our gathering in retrospect. We had just gone through four days of hell, and still had to face on Thursday and beyond the final services for those we had lost. We came together with the leaders of our city, state and country to look for a way forward, and many of us found it. We came to cheer our heroes, the student who staunched Gabrielle Giffords' wounds, the people who wrestled the gunman to the ground and held him for the police, our medical community which poured its soul into saving our victims, and the elected leaders who bravely showed us that democracy had not been assassinated by a mad man.
Did we cheer and applaud? Loudly and happily.
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by MCAinTucson January 14, 2011 8:28 PM EST
The cheering was for the heroes and the tears were for victims. Who are you to tell us how to mourn and how to grieve? I was in line for 4 hours with retirees, working people who took time off and brought their children and students of all ages to support the victims and yes, cheer the heroes of that day. The tee-shirts and ribbons showed support for the victims and the people of Tucson. Those tee-shirts were made by and given away be the students of the University of Arizona. Your embarrassment is yours only, and shows a lack of understanding of what happened here on Saturday. I am proud of the response by this city.
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by Mark520x January 14, 2011 12:49 PM EST
Let me clear this up for all of you, as there seems to be a lot of confusion. The reason there was so much cheering is because we choose to celebrate the lives of those we lost. We choose to put the evil of this entire catastrophe aside, if only for a few minutes. I would want my friends, family, and community to celebrate my life if I happened to be one of the victims of this. The fact that the President of the United States came to our university, the University of Arizona, was so touching. We know that the rest of America (for the most part) stands with us. We are very grateful for the kindness shown to us by President Obama and his staff.
As for Jan Brewer, you have to understand this, too: Jan Brewer was able to enact an unconstitutional law that made it legal for police in our fine state to demand to see papers at random of any citizen with pigment in their skin. We have border patrol trucks patrolling our city. We are now compared to Missouri because of our apparent intolerance of others. She has ruined our state's reputation simply by manipulating the masses of sheep.
Now, on a personal note, how dare you question how we choose to honor the innocent victims of this insanity. Once you have a tragedy in your community, you can hold whatever kind of ceremony you want. Until then, ****.
..............................................................
by January 14, 2011 11:02 AM EST
Those who are fixated on tee shirts given by the University of Arizona or the enthusiasm of college students are willfully ignoring the real content of the memorial. President Obama led our nation in mourning the victims, celebrating the heroes, beginning the healing from this tragedy and encouraging us to be better individuals and become a better nation. There was no political message, it was personal, emotional and inspiring. And for me, thousands spreading the message "Together we thrive" seems a positive response to senseless violence. E pluribus unum.
................................................................
by mikelpond January 13, 2011 7:36 PM EST
Michelle is confused: a t-shirt that reads "together we thrive" is only partisan to someone who sees partisanship in everything. I repeat, Michelle is confused by a non-partisan message because she lives and breaths partisanship. And Bret Hume is a radical nut-case. sorry.
.................................................................
by tr4187 January 13, 2011 7:29 PM EST
I was present at the memorial in Tucson and as a Tucson native I can tell you that we are a very tight- knit community and in no way were our intentions to be disrespectful. What you could not see from your television screen were the tears rolling down everybody's faces as they "cheered" in honor of the heroes of our tragedy and for our survivors and for the miracle of our congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords still being alive! We also applauded when our president called for unity and asked that the death of our neighbors not to be in vein! We have all cried every day since this had happened and have heard countless stories from our families and friends of how they or someone they know have been affected by this. Most of you have no idea what we've been through?so judge us if you must but also keep in mind the the "hooting and hollering" as you call it?was just our way of expressing the hope, faith and unity that Obama's kind words provided. It uplifted our spirits and is helping us start to see the light at the end of a very dark tunnel and in no way does this mean that we will soon forget the tragedy that occurred or the six people/neighbors/family/friends that we lost
...................................................................
by modpa101 January 13, 2011 7:12 PM EST
It's evident why Malkin is a blogger and not a reporter. A little investigating would have shown that the event and the venue were established before the President's decision to attend. The shirts were designed by the event organizers. The event was originally designed as a way for the University to bring the community together.
I have met Gabby, my teen-aged son volunteered at her office during elections, other members of my family are very close to her and Gabe who died. We have all been in shock since Saturday. This has been a gut-wrenching and often sleepless 5 days. We are sad and angry. Some of my anger is purely selfish. I'm mad that someone effectively, albeit temporarily, has removed my voice from Congress. I'm mad whenever I see my son upset. I'm mad every time I pass by her office a mile away from me. I'm mad that I'm still mad.
I took my son to see the President speak. I did get a T-shirt from the student volunteers, I didn't make any connection to any campaigning. I thought the crowd was a bit energetic, but it was exciting to see the President.
What was comforting was the way the President's speech seem to lighten the hearts of my teenage son and my family in a way that my words could not. For the first time in too many days, people were feeling something.
I will not get mad again because someone didn't want a T-shirt, or they thought the whoops for Gabby's recovery, for the heroic people involved, and for the memory of those we lost were too loud.
And Ms. Malkin, traditional Yaqui ceremonies are not babble.
...................................................................
by kidofstl January 13, 2011 4:48 PM EST
come on folks and let's face this for what it is. People that don't like President Obama for WHATEVER reason (and they have that right not to) are not going to approve of ANYTHING he does. If he had told the audience to "calm down and not cheer" then the critics would have said "Who does he think he is, this is NOT about him" If he had said not to pass out T-shirts they would have said the same thing. It has more to do with the Obama-haters really than what happened here last night. I think the speech may have run a tad bit long, but if he had left out any victim's name he would have caught it about that too. I always said that President Obama could find a cure for diabetes and some on the right would complain that he's putting some doctors out of work.
....................................................................
by tenayaj January 13, 2011 4:32 PM EST
I must say, as a University of Arizona student, Tucson resident, and a member of the audience last night, this article is off base. There was no spirit of a "pep rally" last night. While yes, there was cheering and there were t-shirts, it only served to remind Tucson that as a community we are there to support those who are directly affected and devastated by the event of last Saturday. We cheered when we were uplifted, when we were reminded that the heroes of Saturday prove that there is hope for this country, and when we felt called to make our world a better place for our future generations. This had nothing to do with politics. The slogan and t-shirts are for the community, not for the President. Please remember, we asked him to come. He did not organize this. For the thousands who were there last night who were only affected collectively as a community, this memorial was a chance to come together, to show the families of the victims that we are supporting them every step of the way. This may be a city of half a million people, but we intend to stick together and find the light in this darkness. We mean no disrespect to the victims and their families, and this article does exactly the opposite. Please, stop arguing about politics and campaigns and remember that six innocent people died, and a dozen more were wounded. It doesn't matter who votes for who, let's just make sure that we learn from this and make the world a better place.
.........................................................................
by PilgrimSoul January 13, 2011 3:57 PM EST
There's no right way or wrong way to grieve. When John Belushi died, his best friend rode into the funeral on a motorcycle, in full leathers. I can give you plenty of other examples, from my own experience. Ask any clergy who have facilitated memorial services. Grieving takes every different form that you can imagine. If ever there's a time to cut people slack, that's the time.
In this case, it took the form of an exuberant, cheering group of people who were saying "No" to evil, who were saying "No" to death, and celebrating the best in the people that died, and the best in the people that risked their lives to save others. They were saying, "We're going to honor you by being good Americans." Cheering? Damn right. This country is worth cheering for.
The president's speech was awesome. It spoke, as Lincoln spoke, to our "better angels." I support Malkin's right to say her piece, but I'm afraid there's something wrong with that woman's soul. She personifies the worst aspects of partisanship--bitter, spiteful, and mean-spirited.
Thank God Obama was at his best. He comforted us, but he challenged us to be better. We needed that.
.................................................................................
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