"I think it's time to let the current president have a go at solving the world's problems. If he wants my help and I agree with him, I'll give it." --
Dubya, waiting by the phone, Link
"That's the Chicago approach to governing:
Strong-arm it through. You're talking about running over the minority, putting
them in cement and throwing them in the Chicago River."
-- Sen Judd Gregg (Regressive-NH), Link
Excerpt: An insidious power of a propagandistic newspaper
– especially one with great influence – is how it can
“frame” an issue so the assumptions behind a
story guide the readers to a preordained conclusion under
the guise of presenting a fair journalistic account.
As Barack Obama reaches the two-month anniversary
of his presidency, he is facing such a problem
from the powerful Washington Post, which is creating
a negative “frame” for his administration.
The Post’s news pages have been filled with supposedly
objective news stories that have portrayed GOP
obstructionism not as the GOP’s determination
to hobble Obama – much as the Republicans did to Clinton
in 1993-94 – but as Obama’s “failure” to achieve
the bipartisanship he advocated during the campaign.
The Post and other leading news organizations
also have suffered from a strange amnesia about the fact
that today’s worldwide financial disaster has
been in the making for many years and reached a crisis point
in 2008 under the “self-regulatory” theories
of President George W. Bush.
Instead of that context, the recession is portrayed
as an Obama problem, with the Post and other news
outlets even forgetting to mention in stories
about the 6.2 percent drop in the gross domestic product in
the fourth quarter of 2008 that the startling
decline occurred under Bush, not Obama.
Excerpt: George W. Bush is writing a book - seriously.
But rather than penning a traditional memoir,
Herr Fuhrer plans to write about twelve difficult
personal and political decisions he has made in his life.
According to his agent, Robert B. Barnett, the
book will also cover Mr. Bush’s decisions relating to My Pet Goat,
invading Afghanistan and Iraq and his giant fuck-up
of sleeping thru Hurricane Katrina. Barnett said Der Fuhrer
would
also write about why he ran for president, his
decision to quit drinking, his discovery of religious faith and his relationships
with his parents, wife and siblings.
"Somebody said that we're not in Obama's Final
Four, and as much as I respect what he's doing, really, the economy is something that he should
focus on, probably more than the brackets."
-- Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski,, Link
"I didn't pick him to go to the finals. Look,
he's a competitive guy, I just don't think they've got the inside game to go all
the way."
-- Obama, responding to Mike Krzyzewski, Link
Really, wouldn't we rather hear Obama say,
"I
wish I had time for basketball, which I love, but people are losing their jobs and losing their homes
and I'm just too busy to think about March Madness this year."
They are not stupid, and they are not cowards
(as you like to say) - they are simply doing the same thing the Republicans
do.
They pay lip service to the base to get elected...
and then they don't follow through because, "The [insert opposition party
here] is blocking us."
No matter how much power they get... they need
just a little more to get things done.
But you know what they do get done? They
get things done for the rich. Whether it's waging war or building
highways - you can bet
their friends get the contracts and they will
run over budget... and they will hire illegals and pay them minimum wage,
while the CEO
makes millions for sitting on his fat ass.
And both parties ignore the fact that the Federal Reserve (a private entity)
is printing us into bondage.
Wake up man!
Regards,
Elvis in NC
Dude, we're talking about two different things.
I'm asking how they could be so stupid to give away that $160M and
then lie about who did it.
Excerpt: Obama told Leno that he was stunned when he learned
of the bonuses that AIG was paying its employees.
He said the payments raise moral end ethical
problems - and vowed again to try to recoup the cash for taxpayers.
"We're going to do everything we can to get these
bonuses back", he declared.
Leno asked Obama what he thought when his staff
first advised him of the bonus payments. "'Stunned' is the word,"
Obama replied. He said he found it
hard to fathom how anyone would accept lavish payments in those circumstances.
'People just had this sense of entitlement. We
must be the best and the brightest.'"
It looks like Obama is walking further down this dead-end road.
The only way I can see him getting out of this would be to convince
Dodd to be Obama's Frankie
Pentangeli. Dodd's political career appears to be over - so if he's already dead,
why not slit his wrists for Obama?
And don't think I'm an expert on this AIG business.
All I know is Dodd said Tuesday, "I didn't
delete that paragraph and I don't know who did," but the next day he changed his story to,
"I did it because 'Treasury' asked me to delete it."
'Treasury' is Geithner, and if Obama is all "Heckuva
job, Tim," that means the buck stops with Dodd.
Of course, it's possible Dodd is a psychotic liar and Geithner and
Obama are completely innocent.
I hope that's the case because I want to believe Obama and believe IN
Obama.
But every time Obama says "I was stunned"
he's passing the razor blades to Dodd.
Excerpt: Robert Gibbs was ready for the question. As Ed
Henry asked about criticism of the Obama administration from Cheney,
Gibbs nodded his head. I knew this was coming.
Having anticipated the question, one might have
expected Gibbs to have prepared a compelling, substantive response to Cheney’s
horseshit critiques. Instead, Gibbs attacked
Cheney’s approval ratings. “I guess Rush Limbaugh was busy," Gibbs said
to laughter
in the White House press briefing room. "So they
trotted out the next most popular member of the Republican cabal."
Welcome to the new tone in Barack Obama’s Washington.
It’s probably a little unfair to blame Obama for
the words of his press secretary.
Gibbs combines the cockiness of a frat boy with
the intellectual acuity of Homer Simpson.
When Henry asked Gibbs whether Cheney was right
that Obama is “trying to take advantage of this crisis,” Gibbs shot back:
“I think not taking economic advice from Dick
Cheney would be maybe the best possible outcome of yesterday's interview.”
This is just f-ing wrong. But the returdicans
are salivating like none of them pukes voted for the package
when I’m sure some of them did. They’re not that
smart and I’m sure they’re laying LOW. I’d love to see the list.
Andy in AZ
Dude, turn on a radio or FOX News.
They're all for those AIG
bonuses getting paid.
The GOP is FOR the little people losing
their homes while the fat cats get their crooked $6M bonuses
yet the Dems couldn't figure out how to
take political advantage of that and then they stupidly give AIG
permission to steal that money and then
get caught lying about doing that.
"Many detainees locked up at Gitmo were innocent
men swept up by U.S. forces unable to distinguish enemies from noncombatants. There are
still innocent people there - some have been there six or seven years."
-- Lawrence B. Wilkerson, former chief of staff to soldier-killer
Colin Powell, Link
We have broken the $1,000
level! Thanks to all who have been so generous.
A word to you, the Bartcop reader.
I know what you're thinking...
"I like Ol' Bart, been reading him for a while, and I've alwasy thought about sending him
a "love" check.
Y'know how I'm always saying, "List the facts?" Fact is - about 2% contribute.
I know times are tough, so I'm not asking for your rent money
or your food money or your utility money - no, not me.
I'm asking for your cocaine money.
I'm asking for your hooker money.
.
Help us
make the pie higher!
Last year, we raised $10,000
but it took 4 months to do it. This year we're trying
for a more modest $5,000.
to bartcop@bartcop.com
OR
send a 'love' check to
bartcop.com PO Box 54466 Tulsa, OK 74155
Subject: idiocracys
"You know what ol' BartCop would've done if I
were him? I'd..."
You couldn't be him bubba, you're the rabble in
the pit,
but I do think you're just the kind of
antedeluvian
knuckle dragger to make a pipe bomb.
Huh? I'm an antedeluvian knuckle dragger likely
to make a pipe bomb?
Do you know gow crazy that sounds?
Why don't you tell the world what you'd say if
you were Eric Rudolph?
Huh? Is you f-ing crazy? If I was Eric
Rudolph, I'd tell the world,
"I'm a crazy-ass murdering handjob who votes
Republican."
It's only more fitting.
What is more fitting? And why?
Put simply bubba, you're a putz.
OK, ...is this the part where we trade insults?
I gotta tell you, I have 14 years experience
and I have no qualms about stomping morons.
You arrogantly bear the kind of dumb, lazy, vindictive
little junk food philosophy
that is plaguing my country and taking
up valuable air that intelligent people need to breathe.
Obviously that's a grossly gratuitous assumption.
If I said, "You
arrogantly bear the guilt of beating your Grandma,"
would it be true?
Would it hurt your case to stick to the
facts?
It's easy enough to hide behind a fake name
to accuse people of hiding,
when appearing in court before the press
is anything but.
Huh? I've been to court over 300 times and
I remain undefeated. Yeah, Perry Mason and Matlock can kiss
my ass!
You didn't make a point so it's hard for
me to refute it.
Let's see your picture. Let's see your real
name.
Looks like somebody has a man-crush on Ol'
Bart.
Want to buy a 8X10 glossy for $20?
What would change if you had my picture and my "real" name?
You'd be able to look me up
and come visit, that's what - Republicans tend to settle
political disputes with ammonium nitrate
and fertilizer so excuse me for remaining anonymous.
You know bubba, I'd ask you to take down
your mean spirited insult to good
citizens like Mr. Jewell, but I would prefer
to be spared your ignorant croaking hillbilly retort.
Mr Bounds
Mr Bounds, my "ignorant
croaking hillbilly retorts" will continue,
but congrats - I think you're a better
writer than Maureen Dowd. (hardly a compliment)
Eric Rudolph and Richard Jewell made headlines
- in 1996. Have you been reading the back issues?
Eric Rudolph is a religiously-insane, pro-life,
murdering handjob - be sure to sue me for that.
Richard Jewell was a simple man who ignorantly
played into the worst part of the American whore media.
so I offered him some friendly advice on
a better way to handle the sharkish sons of bitches.
Why would you attack me for helping some
newbie handle the whore press?
It's a good thing it's legal to send e-mail while really drunk.
Meria Heller shoots
from the hip. Asking the tough questions
and seeking solutions. No party loyalty and
no sponsors means solid info without interruptions. A commercial free show
supported by YOU.
Excerpt: But the larger problem won't go away. And it's
not just a matter of people missing the biggest economic story of the last
20 years.
It's a matter of those who minimized it and those
who blew it off because it didn't fit their worldview. Jon Stewart
wasn't rude
enough to ask it, but over all his inquiries
there hung the obvious question: Why do you still have a job, Mr. Cramer?
If the world of financial infotainment can itself
be described as a 'market,' it is a market where accountability does not
seem to exist,
where the heaviest of incentives seems to carry
no weight, and where consumers, to judge by what they get, seem constantly
to
choose the lousy over the good. The old order
discredits itself, but the old order persists nevertheless...
The reasons the financial-entertainment biz failed
us are many and complex, but they ultimately come down to this: In the
marketplace
to describe the marketplace itself, there is
precious little competition. There is a single, standard product that comes
in packaging that
is alternately sultry, energetic or fun -- bitter,
brainy or Cramer 'crazy' -- but which rarely strays beyond certain ideological
boundaries.
Adversarial voices are few. Criticism is sacrificed
for access. Advice sometimes shades over into simple propaganda. Even the
worst
prognosticators sometimes go on to jobs with
presidential campaigns or prominent think tanks.
In other words, financial "journalists" are just
as crooked and whorish as political reporters.
Excerpt: Obama's inaugural address may have promised to
"reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals," but--in
all
the ways that matter--he's keeping all of Bush's
outrageous policies in place. Sure, he talks a good game about "moving
forward."
But nothing has really changed. From reading
your e-mails to asserting the right to assassinate American citizens to
bailing out
companies whose executives pay themselves big
bonuses, Obama's changes are nothing but toothless rhetoric.
Closing Gitmo, reported The New York Times, was
merely "a move that seemed intended to symbolically separate the
new administration from Bush detention policies.
But in a much anticipated court filing, the Justice Department argued that
the president has the authority to detain terrorism
suspects there without criminal charges, much as the Bush administration
had asserted. It provided a broad definition
of those who can be held, which was not significantly different from the
one
used by the Bush administration."
Remember the Water Heater Lady from few years
back?
She's a little old lady, late seventies, who
lives with her dog in a trailer in upper-northern California.
This was 2004 or 2005, she had no money and she
was using her water heater for heat.
When her water heater broke, she asked for some
assistance from the local charity and
they told her they'd help IF
she accepted Jesus as her personal savior - yada, yada, yads.
Me, I'd say "You bet your ass - Christ rules"
if it meant heat in the cold winter, but she refused to
knuckle under and her story touched me so I mentioned
her plight on the page as we raised enough
money to buy her a new water heater and we had
enough left over to buy her kerosene to keep her
warn for the rest of that winter.
She's a pretty good toonist - she's sent me hundreds
of toons since then.
Her computer broke just about the time we got dragged into our fiancial
meth dementia pit so
I wasn't able to help her with that and she's been offline ever since.
I just talked to her and now she's really in a
tough spot.
She's in zip code 96134 and the closest real
town is Klamath Falls, OR and she says there's no
doctor within 200 miles that will accept her
as a Medicare patient because it doesn't pay enough.
If you hadn't heard, Cully-fonia is bankrupt
and it sounds like the doctors are morally bankrupt.
She's down to a handful of pills (she's taking
half pills to stretch them out) and she's about to give up.
I suggested she knuckle under and go the Jesus
route, but she said, "I've come this far
without selling out - no sense in starting now,"
which seems crazy but sometimes people are stubborn.
So, does anybody have any suggestions?
What do you do when you're sick and old and broke and the doctor
won't see you?
I'm so old, I remember when this was America.
I hope somebody can think of something because the pain in her voice
was very real.
Excerpt: Pope Benny the Rat's repeated gaffes and the
Vatican's inability to manage his message in the internet era
are threatening to undermine his papacy, Vatican
insiders have said.
The Holy See is struggling to contain international
anger over the Pope's claim on his first official visit to Africa
that Aids "cannot be overcome through the distribution
of condoms, which even aggravates the problems".
The Pope's remarks about condoms, and a recent
furore over his lifting of the 20-year excommunication of a
British bishop who has questioned the Holocaust,
has left him looking isolated and out of touch, prompting calls
for a radical shake-up of the way the Holy See
delivers its message.Al
So we have a right-wing radical who's so certain that he's right that
he doesn't bother to seek advice?
Benny the Rat also has honesty issues, saying he asked God to make
somebody else Pope after he
twisted arms Rove-style to get himself elected.
For a short time, Ol' Bart was smarter than the president and more honest
than the Pope.
The Corporate Whore Media Apes are lying hard
about Chris Dodd. Take a close look at all of your sources:
CNN, Yahoo, AP. And THEY'RE buying into
the lies being pushed by the Fat Man and the Rethug party.
"Indeed, Dodd's amendment as introduced directed
the Treasury secretary to require each TARP recipient to
"meet appropriate standards for executive compensation
and corporate governance": "a prohibition on such TARP
recipient paying or accruing any bonus, retention
award, or incentive compensation during the period that the obligation
is outstanding to at least the 25 most highly-compensated
employees, or such higher number as the Secretary may
determine is in the public interest with respect
to any TARP recipient.""
The language was changed AFTER the amendment was
accepted, and NOT by Dodd.
Wildcat
Dude, I didn't get mt news from a whore organization - I got it from
Chris Dodd's lying mouth (on CNN).
Dodd is the Chairman of the Finance Committee and he had no idea
what was in the bill?
First he said, "I didn't do it and I don't
know who did," then he changed that to
"unnamed staffers at Treasury" told him to give away
the $160M - is there anyone who believes such a clumsy lie?
I expect our elected officials to tell more artful lies than that.
You can select a monthly plan to provide recurring support. Please sign up for whatever you can afford. (10% of your gross is the usual tithe.)
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OR
send a 'love' check to
bartcop.com PO Box 54466 Tulsa, OK 74155
Option:
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I am beside myself... What an astounding
event!
I would've given yer life ( jus' kiddin'!)
to have been there...
But, I was there in San Antonio, May 1973,
when they were
and I'll settle fer that, dontcha know...
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