The Latest from the Glass House of Sykes

Charlie dutifully reports this from the chronicle of wingery The Washington Times:

A Wisconsin voter from House Appropriations Committee Chairman David R. Obey's district says he was "ranted at" and "bullied" when he asked the Democratic congressman's aide about a Washington Times report. The report said national parks got more than $2 billion in the stimulus bill, and Mr. Obey's son is the chief lobbyist for the National Parks Conservation Association.
"He just kept ranting that it is a bunch of lies," said Gerald Nielsen, 45, a utility worker in Cadott, Wis. "He wouldn't let me get a word in edgewise. ... He was trying to bully me."

I, for one, welcome our new overlords. How dare he question them?

Gee, Nielsen must feel like liberals calling into Charlie's program.

WSJ Blows Up Privatization

Here's something that the link-happy Sykes or the concrete-loving* PaddyMac won't be covering, even though it is from their beloved Wall Street Journal. Namely, that something is privatization of public services doesn't work.

From WSJ:

So the thing to do is give up. Lease those roads and bridges out. Let a private company collect the tolls, widen the lanes, and fill the potholes. They can make it work, and when they do, they will create jobs.

Besides, the private-sector group insisted, if we don't take the money, someone else will. It's a harsh, competitive world out there, and governments all over the world are racing one another to turn their infrastructure into investment opportunities. Americans must act "before private funds are attracted elsewhere."

Just to make sure Americans do the right thing, the pro-privatization worthies further suggested, in the words of a Reuters account, that maybe the coming federal stimulus package "should tie stimulus funds to private capital involvement." Apparently these privatization deals aren't sweet enough to sell themselves.

But there's good reason to be reluctant to privatize. It doesn't take an MBA to figure out that we didn't build our Interstate highways in order to create opportunities for venture capitalists. The purpose was public service.

Transferring them to the private sector, at the very least, complicates this mission. At worst it will effectively close those roads to the part of the population that can't afford the revolutionary tolls that private ownership will surely bring. The cost of, well, just about everything will start to rise as more pieces of the transportation system embrace their for-profit destiny and start charging whatever the desperate commuter will bear. Wear and tear on the remaining public-sector roads will certainly increase as traffic is driven off the tollways.

And even if your governor's heart is set on immediately extracting the long-term value of a highway, privatization isn't the cheapest way to do it. Public borrowing is costly these days, true, but interest rates on municipal bonds are still considerably lower than those borne by corporate debt. Allowing a private rather than a public entity to take over your toll road merely means that your tolls will have to be that much higher to cover their more expensive debt.

Perhaps it's best to go back to the ideological beginning. One of the reasons our roads and bridges are falling apart is public hostility to tax increases -- gasoline taxes in particular. This attitude, in turn, is largely the product of the generalized distrust of government that conservatives have stoked for decades.

I can just see Paddy cringing when he read this.

Battle Of The Squawkers

Kevin Fischer is continuing with his "scientific" analysis of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Sunday Editorial page.

I think his premise is that if he eliminates the conservative columnists, like PaddyMac, he can prove that the conservative paper is liberal.

What his scheme is is obviously clear to everyone. Ol' Kevin is trying to create an argument to reinstall a version of the Fairness Doctrine, even as Charlie just proved to us that the whole thing is a bunch of bovine excrement.

Perhaps we should just go ahead and set up a cage match between the two now.

Now My Feelings Are Really Hurt

Fred Dooley just don't like me:

I don't know, is being put into Limbo better or worse than just an outright ban?

So much for a real debate, too.

Charlie Kills Another Squawking Point

Cindy Kilkenny makes an excellent point on her blogsite, Fairly Conservative.

Cindy points out that with Charlie signing a multi-year contract, that this effectively wipes out any credence to the squawker's fear mongering regarding the Fairness Doctrine.

I guess now Charlie, Paddy and the rest will have to settle for the old "Barack Obama wants to make this a Marxist country and open the borders to illegal Muslim gay terrorists who want to raise our taxes while singing the national anthem in Spanish while they're burning Bibles and eating dead babies.

Or something like that.

Put Xoff On TMJ!! - Update

Last night, I stated that TMJ radio should put Xoff on the air instead of Charlie.

It has kicked off a reaction that I didn't even dare to hope for. First of all, Jason Haas has jumped aboard with the plan.

And better than even I predicted, Xoff didn't even have to go on the air to start getting the right wing in a tizzy. Kevin Binversie is so upset at even the suggestion of putting in a knowledgeable person on the air that he had blog about it, using capital letters and everything. Oh, and Kevin, we know that Charlie is not the mastermind of the GOP. He is only a tool that the masterminds use to give you your marching orders.

And most significantly, it forced Charlie to take a sudden contract offer to stick around a while. I am sure that the thought of putting Xoff on instead of Charlie allowed TMJ management to really low ball the contract. Charlie may not even have gotten enough to match the rising cost of hair spray, even when bought in bulk amounts.

To expand from yesterday's list of why Xoff would be better we must had that not only is Xoff more knowledgeable, more politically connected, more politically savvy, but he is also better looking. And he has his good looks without using enough hair spray on a daily basis as to threaten the ozone layer.

And if that wasn't enought to sell you on the idea, keep in mind that Xoff also had been on the year for a couple of years, but he knows how to take EVERY caller, which is exponentially better than Sykes' track record.

Almost forgot to mention, Xoff is also a Vietnam veteran. Charlie, well, he got a nasty papercut once.

As a side note to Charlie: You brag about being around to get kicked around a lot longer. Well, it just so happens that I have given lifetime contracts to all of my co-authors, along with a lifetime supply of boots.

If anyone else wants to join in the fun, I'll give you a new pair of boots too! Just email me. And I'm looking at you Chief.

Put Xoff On TMJ!!

Charlie Sykes is supposed to be on the inside track of all things political. That's why he is on the radio, right? To lead the sheep, er, conservative listeners to the truth? He's also supposed to be doing it better than anyone else, right?

Well, today, Charlie does one of his usual link to another site posts, that states that former Congressman Mark Neumann is contemplating a run for governor.

First, it's interesting that Charlie is so quick to throw his buddy Scott Walkersha under the bus.

Second, it's even more interesting to note that our own Xoff had already covered that story. Two weeks ago.

Seeing that Xoff already made the story old news before Sykes even heard about it - and it's news from the right side to top it off - and seeing how I'm in a community organizer type of mood lately, I think it is high time that we start a petition drive to get TMJ to dump Sykes and have Xoff do their morning show.

Xoff is smarter.

Xoff is more politically savvy.

Xoff is more up to date on the news that the listeners need and want to hear.

And to sweeten the deal for TMJ, I can personally guarantee that Xoff will be able to not only keep the established right wing base just as, if not more so, riled up than Sykes can, but it would also draw us lefties to listen as well.

So what do you say, shall we get started? Put Xoff on TMJ! Now!

He Must Mean O'Reilly

Listen, Rush

From Pundit Kitchen:

But They Forgot The "C"

It's about time:

Those Wholesome, Conservative Values

That is why Charlie has soft porn on his site.

Even on historic day, business as usual

Bruce Murphy at Milwaukee Magazine notes that on Inauguration Day, while even conservatives gave the new President a one-day pass, the Journal Sentinel's Patrick McIlheran stood out like the proverbial sore thumb.

Says Murphy of Paddy Mac's performance:

But beyond the irony was something just a little ugly. While commentators of all ideologies were celebrating, for one day, a watershed moment in our nation’s history, McIlheran was above such generosity. He thought it more appropriate to condescend to the majority of Americans.

Anyone else surprised?

What's The Matter With A Little Decorum?

Jeff Wagner and Charlie Sykes have been having their fits of selective outrage over the Appellate Court's ruling on the sentencing of a drug dealer. The issue at hand is that former Judge Joseph Wall used what could conceivably consider racially derogative language towards the black defendant and his girlfriend, who wasn't even on trial.

Illy T has more here and here on why Charlie and Jeff are wrong, not that this is unusual or will slow them down.

The prodigal Brawler, who must not like us anymore, has more to say on this subject, as well as Sykes ridiculing and elderly minister's prayer for racial harmony. He ends with this:

"A reasonable observer." A description that excludes Charlie Sykes (who, by the way, has three baby mamas).

Sykes (who, given he has three baby mamas, is the moral guardian of Milwaukee) went on to draw bigger lessons from this. Obama's called for a new era of responsibility -- but these elite women have undercut that.

Sykes (file under: three baby mamas) said the core of this ruling is that "if you're a white man, shut up." Adding: "Sooner or later the black community will get around to talking about personal responsibility."

Personal responsibility. Did I say Sykes -- another racial grievance merchant who apparently laments he can't blast the African American community in terms more strident than he already uses (that's what James T. Harris is for!) has three baby mamas?

My question is simply this: Why is asking too much that we expect that professionals and people in authority, like judges, to show a little decorum and treat people like people, whether they think they deserve it or not?

Charlie Sykes, Call Your Office

Charlie was getting his chuckles with a poll that showed people considered global climate change to be the bottom of their concerns at this moment in time.

What chuckling Charlie elides over is the fact that the voters also didn't consider tax cuts to be to important either. They would rather have the focus on the economy and on restoring jobs, like the ones that are about to be gone from Harley Davidson.

The reason for this avoidance of reality? Well, then it would ruin his next segment on his show, as he claims the only way to save the country are tax cuts. Too bad for Charlie that real business leaders don't agree with him.

Is It Rush bin Ladin or Osama bin Limbaugh?

From Caffeinated Politics, where Rush's fervent hope for Obama's, and consequentially, America's failure is being discussed:

I have to believe that smart Americans feel different, even in spite of political differences they may have with President Obama. After all Limbaugh was not talking about the Super Bowl when he hoped for someone to fail. He was talking about our nation, and our way of life. Think about that.

Limbaugh has had bouts of drug addiction and numerous marital failures, and so he has reason for feeling depressed about his life. But to wish the new leader of this country to fail, and by extension every American, is nothing short of pathetic.

Seems the last one who wanted America to fail was Osama Bin Laden. It is strange that Rush Limbaugh would want to mimic the one responsible for 9/11. But believe it or not, that is exactly what Limbaugh did.

Should we expect Rush Limbaugh to try for a pilots license soon?

Pretty sick man, that Rush into Limbo, eh? Well, guess who wants to expose our kids to that drug-addled unAmerican? You got it.

James Stays Classy

James T. must be missing his fifteen minutes of fame when he was promoted nationally as the fool he is.

In a desperate effort to regain national attention, he gives us this:

Well, now we get to deal with a couple of new firsts. First black President, first black presidential flub up of the Presidential oath. First President to acknowledge non-believers as a religious group.

This can’t be good. How do we know they used a Bible at the do-over and not a Koran? Hey, I’m just asking!

Update: Obama didn’t use the Bible or the Koran! Oh shiggedy! Another first? Which swearing in should count? The one with the Bible or the one without?

First of all, would someone kindly point out to James that John Roberts is the white Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, not a black president?

Secondly, would someone please tell me how Obama can be a Muslim, which reject the teachings of Christ, and at the same time, have gone to one of those hateful Christian churches for 20 some years? It's one or the other, unless your schizophrenic. Then you can believe in both, I guess.

With Friends Like This, Who Needs Enemies?

A nice summary on Scott Walker's plight from Milwaukee Magazine Editor Bruce Murphy:

Poor Scott Walker. When even conservative county board members and conservative Sheriff David Clarke deserts you, when your only friends are bombastic bloggers like Kevin Fischer, then it’s clear that a stand against added federal funding for Milwaukee County is perhaps not so prudent.

My own, rather wordier, version of Walker's bumblings can be found here.

The Concrete Thinking of James T. Harris

James T. wanted us to know just how he felt during Inauguration Day.

First, in the morning, he shows real (lack of) class:

This is the heart of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision. Content of character triumphant in a colorblind society. To say that today’s inauguration of Barack Obama is the culmination of Dr. King’s dream is to spit on that great man’s vision.

If anything, today's coronation of America's first black prince is the triumph of skin color over Dr. King's stated characteristics, and he would be sickened by the celebration.

As am I.

At noon, it's more than a little bit more than a different story, in which he congratulates President Obama.

Later in the day, after the medication wears off, and the madness returns, it's back to bashing and blasphemy.

Indeed, James has a mind like concrete: All mixed up and firmly set.

Ye olde double standard

The Brew City Brawler reports that Chuckie Sykes and Paddy Mac are very disappointed in the way liberals dis (it feels so good to write this) EX-President G.W. Bush.

How disrespectful, singing "Na, na, na, na ... Goodbye." Some even booed him -- and innocent, saintlike EX-Vice President Dick Cheney, too. Imagine!

I'm trying to find the posts where they condemned the yahoos at the McCain-Palin rallies who were reportedly yelling what would be the equivalent of "Kill Whitey" if applied to Bush.

So far they haven't turned up.

America Weighs Anchor and Sets Sails

By Keith R. Schmitz

A black man will be residing in a house built by slaves and millions have given him a warm welcome on an icy day.

As we speak the old ideas and tired dogmas are being hacked away. Now we get busy. The strings that have tethered the ideas and energy are being snipped and will allow them to be aloft.

All we care about now is what works.

The train is rolling on and everyone is urged to jump on board.

Sour Grapes Open Line

I'll be busy today, and so won't to get to monitor all the sour grapes and whining that Charlie, James, Paddy and the rest will be surely doing.

So, you may now Whallah! the whining squawkers and squawking whiners in an open comment thread.

Have at 'em.

More Artwork

From a faithful friend and reader:

Art Worth Framing

Pure genius from the Brawler:




Brilliance from Jay Bullock:

Belling joins the chorus

Mark Belling joins the wingnut echo chamber in the defense of Scott Walker's indefensible position against taking any of the federal stimulus money for Milwaukee County -- a position since modified several times by Walker.

Belling, frothing at the mouth as usual:

It is terribly obvious the Obama plan will put fortunes in the hands of poverty pimps, political hustlers, grubby contractors and anybody else with a political pal. Write book, here’s a million dollars... Local taxpayers will have to match the federal loot with money of their own. Programs started now with the federal stimulus will have to be fully funded with local money when the stimulus checks dry up.

Walker is saying he’ll only take money that requires no local match and no local operating costs. I haven’t found a single other politician in Wisconsin recognizing that the federal stimulus money will create massive new local spending.

As others not infected by right-wing rabies have noted, the Obama plan that so "obviously" will do all of the things Belling hates hasn't even been written yet. The Poverty Pimps appropriation hasn't even been earmarked. Nor has a local match been specified.

But Scott Walker is far from the only politician recognizing that some local tax money will also have to be spent as part of the stimulus. What many of them have said, however, is that a 20% county match (if that's what it ends up being) is far preferable to a 100% county-financed project, which is the likely, eventual alternative for a lot of much-needed projects. That, and the fact that Milwaukee County taxpayers will pay their share of stimulus costs whether their county accepts any money or not, is why Walker looks like a minority of one on his ill-considered stand.

Squawkers Rally Around Walker

As the Chief points out, Kevin Fischer has spent an inordinate amount of the time trying to pucker up to the Milwaukee County Executive. In fact, the right wing echo chamber is putting out the rally cry to come and support their fearless and clueless leader, which is all being spurred on by Orville Seymour:

“Why is it that the left is very good at rallying around a cause or a candidate yet the right allows there causes and candidates (Scott Walker) to sit out there all alone and fend for themselves?

Yesterday, the left (Milw. County labor unions) held a rally to denounce Scott Walker for not taking Federal stimulus money and there is talk that they are gearing up for a Recall effort against Walker. I have not heard a single word from any conservative about this or an effort to stand up for Walker and his principles.

I think we all know in out heart of hearts that what Walker is doing or not doing in this case is the right thing to do, even if we don't completely understand all of the economic principles behind his decision. So why is it that conservatives are so reluctant to stand up for Walker and his principles?”

Well, gee, Orville, do you think it is because people are starting to see that Walker is not interested in saving their tax dollars, or preserving the quality of life that Milwaukee County deserves. Or that people are sick of Walker taking their hard earned tax dollars and giving it to his cronies instead of providing services like he is supposed to be doing.

If you want to really know the truth about what is happening regarding Walker, I would suggest that the gentle reader to these fine sites:

Haas 414

Brew City Brawler

Left On The Lake

and of course, my other castle, Cognitive Dissidence.

Library, Library, More Than A Book

In this morning's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, our friend Patrick McIlheran writes today's quick snit:

Ah, the feds can't possibly make TV stations shut off analog signals Feb. 17, as they've warned for years. They're temporarily out of coupons to subsidize converter boxes. So that 7% who, like me, aren't ready will be cut off...unless we go and buy the $50 converter ourselves. When did uninterrupted access to TV become a taxpayer responsibility? Go buy a poor person a box yourself, if you're worried about unfairness. Or, heaven forbid, we unconverted might try enjoying a book. For free, from a library.

This, of course, has been a favorite target for the other half of McSykes, as that Charlie has been harping on it for the past five days. Of course, if the government weren't subsidizing the converter boxes, these two would be complaining about the government forcing people to buy new TVs so that they can have more control of the airwaves or something.

But I think this is a rather ironic and hypocritical argument coming from someone who wants the taxpayers to subsidize his "right" to treat the public highways as the autobahn.

Furthermore, aren't libraries also completely paid for with our tax dollars?

Gwen Moore under fire; Who's got her back?

Congresswoman Gwen Moore deserves a Profile in Courage award for being one of only five House members willing to vote against a one-sided resolution on Gaza that essentially blames all of the violence on Hamas and gives Israel a free pass.

Predictably, Moore was roasted on Republican talk radio, which has never met a war it didn't like.

She's no doubt feeling somewhat beleagured for doing the right thing. Contact her here to let her know others agree that both sides must stop the bloodshed and share the responsibility for the deaths of innocent civilians.

Make That A Sexist Boor

Zach showed us a spot in which Kevin Fischer once again proves himself to be a boor.

Fischer now has another post up which shows that he is not just a boor, but a sexist boor (emphasis mine):

Nursing moms are in a tizzy. They want to breast-feed.

Go ahead.

They want to have pictures taken of them doing so, and they want to be able to show you those pictures on their Facebook accounts on the Internet.

Sorry, sweetheart, but not everyone wants to see that. And not everyone wants to see you breast-feeding wherever you darn well feel like it.

Sorry, Kevin. I know you think you're all that and a bag of chips, but all you are is just another sexist boor.

Why does Lazich keep him around? Is this who she wants representing her to the public?

Milwaukee Needs A Stimulus

From the AFL-CIO Labor Council:

As you may have heard, Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker is using

Milwaukee’s economic crisis to advance his political agenda, rather than

leading the fight to turn Milwaukee’s economy around. He is saying publicly

that he, as the top elected official in Milwaukee County, would refuse to

seek out any federal stimulus dollars because it's against his political

ideology.

But with years of deferred maintenance, soaring unemployment, a crumbling

infrastructure. .. We all know that Milwaukee County can't afford this kind

of stubborn foolishness when it comes to our future. Even the conservative

head of the Metro Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce said last week, if the

federal government is going to have a stimulus, Milwaukee can’t afford to be

left out.

Please join AFSCME District Council 48, Milwaukee Area Labor Council,

Wisconsin Federation of Nurses & Health Professionals, Wisconsin Fair Trade

Coalition, Citizen Action of Wisconsin and many others tomorrow at the

Milwaukee County Courthouse for a rally to tell Scott Walker that Milwaukee

County cannot afford to be left out of a national stimulus program!

What: Tell Scott Walker that MILWAUKEE NEEDS A STIMULUS

When: Tuesday, January 13, 2009, from 12:00 noon - 12:45 p.m.

Where: Milwaukee County Courthouse

Please consider taking a few minutes out of your busy day tomorrow to join

us and let County Executive Walker know that the needs of Milwaukee County

are more important than his political aspirations!

I know this is awfully short notice, but if you're off tomorrow, or can make it during your lunch break, please do try to stop by, and let Walker know that he needs to worry about doing the job he has now, before he even considers trying for a promotion he won't get anyway.

Crossposted across the cheddarsphere, because this is that important!

A friend in need is a friend indeed

Hey, Mr. Conservative!

You say you've said something really stupid, climbed way out on a limb that's gonna crack any minute, alienated even some of your strongest allies, are catching hell from all sides, and can't imagine what to do about it except try to peel back your indefensible position a little at a time?

Is that what's troubling you?

Well, not to worry, Buster. You've got a friend.

Her name is Jessica McBride (Surprise!), and she sees nothing wrong with Scott Walker's statement that his county is not interest in any of that stinking federal stimulus money.

Says McBride:

(Walker) isn’t seeking a federal bailout (wouldn’t it be good if other "CEOs" were saying that?). He recognizes that the federal money President-elect Obama wants to shovel to states (and counties) for infrastructure and other projects isn’t "free money;" it’s borrowed money that taxpayers will have to pay for. The Milwaukee County Executive also notes that most federal grants, especially for transportation, require local spending matches.

Two Republican governors question the stimulus package (which she insists on calling a bailout), McBride says in Walker's defense. What's more:

Walker also told the media he’d consider on a "case-by-case" basis whether to accept any of the federal money. That nuance must not make a sexy newspaper headline.

Actually, he didn't say that initially, when he spouted off and set off the whole controversy. That came only as part of his back-pedaling, after even folks like Tim Sheehy of the Milwaukee business lobby more or less said Walker was full of shit himself.

McBride seems to have missed the fact that there will be a federal stimulus package, a big one, whether Walker supports it or not. And Milwaukee County taxpayers will pay their share of it, over time, whether Milwaukee County gets any of the money or not. This is not rocket science. Walker went to college longer than I did before dropping out, so he must have at least had Econ 101.

I called him Herbert Hoover Walker in a recent post, but McBride claims Hoover was really a big deficit spender. Actually, although he did take some action to try to stave off the coming Depression, here's how a historical reference site describes what Hoover did next:

As the Depression became worse, however, calls grew for more radical measures involving increased Federal intervention and spending. But Hoover refused, adhering strongly to his principles.

What makes that amusing is that Walker's reason for his action, and his defense for his irrationality, is that he's sticking to his principles.

Herbert Hoover, move over.

One more thought: When is McBride going to start the campaign to get her friend Dan Vrakas, the Waukesha County exec, to follow Walker's principled lead? McBride's home county certainly needs a stimulus a lot less than Milwaukee County does.

Stay Classy, Kevin!

Found this little gem buried in one of my favorite legislative aide's blog entries, in reference to fast food restaurants (emphasis mine):

No standing in line to order. No lugging your tray hunting for a place to sit that’s actually clean. No looking into a speaker telling a pimply-faced 16-year old who can’t read, write, or understand basic English that you don’t want apple pie with that.

That's a heck of a stereotype right there, and in my opinion, it says a lot about am elected official - in this case State Senator Mary Lazich - that she'd allow a boor like Kevin Fischer to continue to represent her as a member of her staff.

He's Finally Gone Completely Insane

Last week, Kevin Fischer decided that he was going to go on a silly crusade. He was going to see if the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel was impartial in their editorials. But just to keep it from being, you know, objective or even rational, he decided that he was going to ignore PaddyMac and the Community Advisers.

And to add to the circus, MJS responds, with Paddy in the background mewling about being
chopped liver.

This week, Fischer does it again. He probably pulled several muscles as he simultaneously pats himself on the back and contorts what he is doing. The Chief sums up Fischer's insanity much better than I could:

If after a year (or however long he expects this charade to go on) he finds that the MJS has printed more liberal viewpoints in the Crossroads than conservative sections, Fischer has earned the right to claim that the paper is in the bag for the Left. But if he happens to discover that there actually is a fairly even split in opinion, he gets to say that because of his ongoing efforts to monitor the press, the MJS was forced to make conservative voices heard. Thanks to him, of course.

It's not about media bias. It's about self-aggrandizement.

Bravo, you evil genius. Brav-fricking-o.

So let's all just take a moment and concede this fight to Fischer. Sir, you've won. We are clearly all inferior to the Socratic wonder which is logical acumen. We are powerless in the presence of your intellect. You may now return to answering the phone in Senator Lazich's office.

By the way, does any one else find it at all creepy that a political appointee is trying to manipulate and/or influence the editorial content of a newspaper? Aren't there just a few "freedom of the press" issues that spring up here?

My question is why Fischer is going on this Quixotic crusade instead of actively promoting his conservative agenda? Perhaps he could start with criticizing State Senator Mary Lazich for raising taxes. Or for taking a raise during this economic crisis. Or for her making jokes about drunk driving. Well, for some reason, I doubt he would call her on the drunk driving thing.

Sorry About That

I know a couple of our contributors are busy, as I was this past week, but I don't know what happened to Other Side, grumps, Xoff or the others.

I will send out a search party immediately.

In the meantime, I will try to keep things going here.

If anyone wants to help us out, Email me

Better Than A Chia Pet

Greg Kowalski, owner of Metro Milwaukee Today a friend of mine, recently had a birthday. Last week he had a birthday which he celebrated with some friends, and he received a wonderful present:


For the unfamiliar, here is some insight behind the gift.

And, as one should expect, Mr. Maturity himself has his snit fit in 3...2....1....Now.

If All Else Fails, Make Stuff Up

The title must be also a plaque on PaddyMac's desk, given his string of writings. One of the latest includes where he tries to refute a post by Keith Schmitz, who is a contributor here as well as a co-contributor in Jay Bullock's cast of thousands.

At folkbum's, Keith has a post which highlights how traditional conservative principles contributed to the current economic crisis. He further points out that now we are neck deep in this economic quagmire, the right wingers has finally found it in their hearts to share - the blame, that is.

PaddyMac, who oddly will name Keith, but not folkbum's, misstates what Keith wrote, describing it has being anti-capitalism. This is rather funny, as that Keith is, himself, a businessman who benefits from the principles of capitalism. But apparently, the truth of Keith's situation, much less the actual context of Keith's post, would not fit into the strawman that Paddy was building, so he just decided to make up his own facts.

Furthermore, Paddy's arguments range from blaming Carter, who has been out of office for thirty years, to advocating for more of the same, plus some. If Paddy were a doctor, and you saw him because you broke your thumb with a hammer, he'd tell you to hit it with a sledge hammer.

The biggest question that comes to mind is, if the MJS is so strapped for money that they have to reduce staff, reduce the size of the paper, and increase their rates, why are they still paying Paddy?

Paddy The Magic Catholic

Chip Saltsman wanted to be the head of the RNC, but basically took himself out of the running with the ill-advised, but revealing, act of sending out a CD full of conservative ditties including the offensive "Barack the Magic Negro," made infamous by national racist talk show host Rush Into Limbo.

The right wingers have their faux outrage going on big time about this, including local blogger Mary at Freedom Eden and MJS lead squawker, PaddyMac.

Mary's big beef is that she feels that anyone complaining about this is hypocritical, because the left was so mean to George W. Bush. What she fails to comprehend is that the song ridicules Obama for his race, while people are critical and sardonic towards Bush is that he was one of the worst, if not the worst, president in US history. It was Bush that started the Iraq war and cost thousands of soldiers and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi citizens their lives. It was Bush that neglected his duties when Hurricane Katrina headed towards, struck, and nearly destroyed New Orleans. Neither of those disasters have been cleaned up yet.

As offensive as Mary's hypocritical stance is, Paddy's is even worse. He tries to defend the song at parody, and takes the wild position that the song has no racism in it at all.

Um, Patrick, the song wouldn't have been written at all if Obama wasn't black. As one of his commenters pointed out, the cacophony of right wing outrage would be deafening if someone made a song called "George the Magic Christian." There would have been controversy to no end as the pseudofaithful claim foul and said that their beliefs were being mocked.

Patrick then goes on with this:

So we’ll go on, having to pretend not to notice the next president's ethnicity unless we swaddle the mention in a protective context of praise. This is going to be a hilarious four years, I can tell already, especially if anyone starts prattling on about how, under Obama, we can now have our long-delayed national conversation about race. Good luck, when half the country is barred from the subject.

My question to Patrick, since he and his overlords have seen it fit to ban me from commenting on any of their sites, is this: What does Obama's race have to do with any of his decisions and/or policies that he will be setting forth in the next four or eight years?

Just by feeling the need to make that an issue shows Paddy's latent racism. He also let the cat out of the bag regarding what the right's arguments are going to be for the foreseeable future: Obama's only doing this to get back at the white man.

How preposterous these people can be!

To add to the fun, Paddy then brings up the fact that Obama is going to be sworn in using his full name, which holds to tradition of any person being sworn in as President. One of his commenters points out the fallacy of Paddy's faux oversensitivy by writing this (grammatical errors included):

This is another typical lazy straw-man argument. It is not the words being used but their intended usage and YOU KNOW IT. The magic n***o thing was simply a ploy to try to evoke a response that right wingers could decry as PC and it just made these people look dumb and ignorant (if the shoe fits right?). The Obama middle name thing makes me laugh the hardest. How many times did people refer to mccain by all 3 names? Uh, none. Why did right wingers put obama's middle name in caps or emphasize it in their blood thirsty rallies? It wasn't that they used it but they clearly intended to use it to play on some peoples fear and hatred of anything muslim. Trying to evoke some of the worst in mankind using this approach is the very definition of racism. I could care less about words, it is the intent in which they are used. You know this is true Pat but you are just subscribing to the same play you and your ilk use over and over and over again, conservatives are always the victims. Pathetic

Pathetic indeed.