Biz-Trib

Question:

'So, when does this story get retired from the "most posted"column so people can find something else to bicker about?'

Answer:

As soon as the Bismarck Tribune green lights another Brent McCarthy letter blaming all of our problems and social ills on the liberals and President Obama. Sorry old boy, we're not about to play "John Kerry' anymore. There's a new sheriff in town and your sequel has been canceled due to a shortage of funds and a lack of morals. Ain't life a Palin?

Honoring the Fallen

A poem by
David G. Bancroft

(Listen to TAPS)

I cannot help but think of those,
Whose anxious wait ended with a knock,
The wrenching ache felt deep down to the toes,
Knowing there was no more ticking for this clock.


Their brave loved ones served for our country’s sake
Be it yesterday, today, and time yet known,
Giving it birth and to protect … not take.
Their ultimate sacrifice shown.


The blinding tears of TAPS being played.
The overwhelming sadness of the colors given.
The proud thought of the difference made.
The final salute to the fallen . . . now in heaven.


And while there is a special day,
That we honor the memory of the gift they gave,
It should go well beyond a national thought in May,
Like every time when seeing the flag wave!

Thou Doth Protest Too Much

From failed former governor, Sarah Palin:

"I am saddened by the NAACP’s claim that patriotic Americans who stand up for the United States of America’s Constitutional rights are somehow racists.

The charge that Tea Party Americans judge people by the color of their skin is false, appalling . . .

. . . and is a regressive and diversionary tactic to change the subject at hand."

GOP's Poster Child

North Dakota’s Democratic Party is outraged over the discovery of two posters hanging in a state agency’s office, calling the anti-President Barack Obama posters “outrageous” and “obscene.” In photos released by the state Democratic-NPL Party on Wednesday, one poster in the Public Service Commission office reads:

“Thanks, Obama. You’ve spent my lunch money, my allowance, my inheritance, 35 years of future paychecks, and my retirement. You  (N-word).”

Public service commissioners acknowledge that an employee had an anti-Obama poster hanging in his office of a little girl giving the finger.

All three commissioners claimed they were previously unaware of the poster.

BP (Back Peddling)

Representative Joe Barton, Texas Republican, shocked his colleagues during the House Energy and Commerce committee's hearing on the BP oil catastrophe.

Speaking to Tony "I want my life back" Hayward -- BP's chief officer -- Barton proclaimed that Mr. Hayward and BP were the victims of the tragedy. Barton apologized repeatedly to the oil executive who oversaw the biggest environmental disaster in U.S. history.

Barton:

I apologize. I’m ashamed of what happened in the White House yesterday. I think it is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown. In this case, a $20-billion shakedown with the attorney general of the United States -- who is legitimately conducting a criminal investigation and has every right to do so to protect the interests of the American people -- participating in what amounts to a $20-billion slush fund. It is unprecedented in our nation’s history.

I apologize. I do not want to live in a country where any time a citizen or a corporation does something that is legitimately wrong, is subject to some sort of political pressure that is, again, in my words -- amounts to a shakedown. So I apologize.

Rep. Barton has received more than $1.5 million in campaign donations from the oil industry.

Shortly after GOP officials threatened to strip the Representative of all privileges for his apology, Barton began back peddling. He apologized if anyone had "misconstrued" his remarks. The congressman's office then issued an apology for Barton's apology.

The Honeymoon is Over

Organized around fears of America's problems -- not on facts and solutions --  the Tea Party's political candidates were doomed to be revealed as right wing whiners, windbags and rabble-rousers.

However, few could've predicted the Tea Partisans would fall apart so completely, so fast.

A flood of devastating natural disasters and big business boondoggles, combined with the on-going oil catastrophe off the Gulf coast, has forced Rubio, Palin and most of the other Tea Party all-stars into a R.U.N.T. (Republican Under New Title) retreat.

It's difficult to get folks to parade around with signs saying "Drill, Baby, Drill" and "Taxed Enough Already" when they're living in emergency housing or standing in the unemployment line due to an oil spill. But that didn't stop Rand Paul! Fresh off his primary win in Kentucky, Ron Paul's libertarian son went on a Tea Party media tour.

Dr. Paul, darling of the disgruntled Tea Baggers, went on Rachel Maddow's show to air his bizarre views in prime time. The son of a senator established that, as Bill Maher put it, "the shit doesn't fall far from the bat."

Private businesses should be able to do whatever they want -- Paul indicated -- including discriminate against minority groups or Americans with disabilities.

What about corrupt companies or negligent corporations like BP? As far as the good doctor is concerned . . . "accidents happen."

That's true. Of course, accidents can be avoided with proper assessment and preparation . . . a fact that cannot be lost on the Tea Baggers in Kentucky. As the campaign begins, their candidate has decided to decline all press interviews.

"I've heard nothing from BP about not paying for the spill. And I think it's part of this sort of blame game society in the sense that it's always got to be someone's fault instead of the fact that sometimes accidents happen."
-- Dr. Rand Paul

"When does my honeymoon period start? I had a big victory."
-- Dr. Rand Paul

Tempest in a Tennessee Tea Pot

It was just a few weeks ago when Mark Skoda -- chairman of the Memphis TEA Party -- was loudly complaining about paying high taxes.

Mark and his group of Tennessee patriots were fighting mad about the tax money they're shelling out and staged several anti-government rallies.

Questioned as to anger directed specifically toward the President -- who has actually cut income taxes -- Mr. Skoda reasoned, "Obama was the Pearl Harbor moment for conservatives."

But now Mark and his fellow Tennessee Tea Baggers are facing a new crisis moment.

Flooding from two days of heavy rain is wreaking havoc in Tennessee. Up to 20 inches of rain has fallen in parts of the state over the weekend. The rains have washed out major roads, caused evacuations, and prompted dam failures. In Nashville alone, more than 600 people were rescued from the water this weekend, reported emergency management officials.

Of course the rescue missions, emergency shelters and other services are supplied by local, state and federal GOVERNMENT.  And they cost a lot of MONEY.

The TN Emergency Management Agency has already requested help from the National Guard.  The state will now appeal to President Obama for federal relief.

Needless to say . . . the anti-tax protests from Mark Skoda, and the angry complaints about taxes from the Tennessee Tea Baggers, have instantly dried up.

Spill, Baby, Spill

The normally talkative Sarah Palin has fallen strangely silent on the topic, but the good old boys down South are facing an oil spill crisis. An oil rig explosion in the gulf has resulted in about 42,000 gallons of oil leaking into the Gulf of Mexico daily. The oil is now moving towards the Louisiana coast.

The Wall Street Journal reports: "The crude spill, emanating from broken drilling infrastructure 5,000 feet below the surface at a rate of 1,000 barrels a day, was caused by the explosion and sinking last week of the Transocean Ltd. Deepwater Horizon, which was drilling an exploration well for BP."

A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration official says the oil is expected to hit shore within days. If that occurs, it could create an economic and environmental disaster.

Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal says he is receiving constant updates on the oil spill. He insists the spill can be contained and that the government is prepared to handle the crisis. 

. . . Government? . . . Who needs government?

Party Down

The anti-government Tea Parties planned for the state of Mississippi have all been canceled . . . due to natural disaster. The anti-tax parties, protests and parades will be re-scheduled after federal and state government officials have assessed the damage and rushed aid to the tornado ravaged area.

"We don't like the government intrusions in our lives," barked Mississippi Tea Party President Roy Nicholson just a few weeks ago at an April 15 protest.

I agree with Roy!

No federal money should be forced on these proud patriots. Let them pull themselves up by their confederate boot straps. Our filthy government money is no good down there in Mississippi.

Congresman Baby Killer

The loud-mouthed clown who cried "Baby Killer" during Rep. Bart Stupak's March 21 floor speech in favor of health care reform was not some drunken moron in the visitor's gallery. The "Baby Killer" heckler has been identified as Republican Randy Neugebauer, a third-term representative of the proud people of Texas.

Politico reports that "Neugebauer was a co-sponsor to a March 2009 House resolution that would've required presidential candidates to provide a copy of their birth certificate."

While Neugebauer admits he lost any sense of decorum, dignity or basic self-control, he contends he was calling the bill a "baby killer" -- not Bart Stupak. Well, to quote one of Randy's birther buddies, "You lie!"

Speaking of baby killers, an estimated 45,000 Americans die every year due merely to a lack of health care insurance. Regardless of the federal deficit George Bush ran up, this nation is too wealthy to allow scores of innocent men, women and children to needlessly die.

It's Randy Neugebauer and the GOP who've fought like the devil to maintain the status quo death sentence on millions of Americans.

President Obama and the Democratic congress -- without a single vote from the Bible-thumpin' Republicans -- have at last put an end to America's deadly neglect of its own citizen's constitutionally protected right to life.

For Shame

On the 7th anniversary of the biggest lie the Republican party and that Bush kid made, I salute and take my hat off to the 4400 dead American soldiers. The Rich and right wing Republicans aren't even patriotic enough to contribute to the war effort. They haven't paid one dime towards it since their taxes went down when we went to war...that's Republicans for you, lying unpatriotic hypocrites.

I will never understand how anyone can call themselves Republicans with any pride. They have lied so much over the last year about the Health Care Reform bill and now that it's finally ready to be passed and they are seeing that there is nothing they can do about it. They continue to lie and put out as much false information as possible. For shame.

Fresh Brewed Backlash

The civility pledge of the new Coffee Party USA:

"As a member or supporter of the Coffee Party, I pledge to conduct myself in a way that is civil, honest, and respectful toward people with whom I disagree. I value people from different cultures, I value people with different ideas, and I value and cherish the democratic process."

http://www.coffeepartyusa.com/

Sick of Health Care

To be honest, none of us will get the health care bill we each want, because we are not in the Congress.[who by the way should all take a pay cut]. This bill does have flaws, but is a first step in the right direction. Republicans held the majority for 12 years and did absolutely NOTHING. The rich got richer and the poor and middle class got poorer. Who do you trust to get something going here?

Surely not the GOP.

We are so far behind the other industrialized world in health care. We pay 17% of our income, but lag behind the pig Castro/ Cuba in some areas. One would have to live under a rock to believe some of the garbage that spews forth daily from the mouths of the fright-wing.

If the Party of Elephants gets their way, the only 'PUBLIC OPTION' will be to file bankruptcy.
I'm sick of delaying health care reform. GET IT DONE!

Do Who I Say - Not Who I Do

Anti-gay GOP California state Senator Roy Ashburn was arrested for DUI yesterday after leaving Faces, a popular Sacramento gay bar, with an unidentified male passenger.
Ashburn has been a loud opponent of LGBT rights and has organized and hosted anti-gay marriage rallies for the Traditional Values Coalition. He also has a 100% rating from the anti-gay Capitol Resource Family Impact group for voting against every LGBT rights bill during his tenure.

Shankoptamus - Pawlentus

In an unfortunate attempt to score points with the Tea Baggers at C-PAC, Governor Tim Pawlenty got stuck in The Woods. He told the rowdy crowd that conservatives need to learn lessons from Tiger Woods' wife and "take a 9 iron and smash the window out of big government."

Later, at his own press conference, Tiger Woods clarified that rumors about his wife behaving like a violent animal were totally false.

O, how the mighty have fallen.

Bye, Bye Byron

Byron Dorgan will not seek re-election for his Senate seat in 2010. As the old song says..." You don't know what you got til it's gone."
Dorgan's departure clears the way for Gov. Hoeven to carry on his affairs in D.C.

Obama's Epic Fail

"I'm not going to back down on the basic principle that if Americans can't find affordable coverage we're going to provide you a choice." -- Barack Obama, September 13, 2009


During his Oprah Winfrey interview, President Obama awarded himself a B+ for his first year in office. He quickly noted that if he got a "win" on health care, his grade would rise to an A.

Well, I agree. But in my grade book, the "B" stands for BANK BAIL-OUTS and the "A" stands for AFGHANISTAN SURGE.

Additionally, Obama's cautious compromising with conservatives earns him a C for CAPITULATING on every major issue. I would also give this presidential pretender a D for his DISGRACEFUL DUPLICITY on health care reform. Ted Kennedy is rolling in his grave.

Added together with the grades of "I" for INSINCERITY and "W" for WASTED OPPORTUNITY AFTER GEORGE W. -- I give Obama's first year an F for FUCKED UP FAILURE.

Yes, I still believe in a place called Hope. The significance of Obama's historic burst through America's racial social barrier will never be diminished. It cannot be, not even by Obama himself.

But class is over. With his flip-flop on the "basic principle" of a heath care public option, I've learned all I needed to learn. Barack Obama doesn't make the grade. He will not be asked back for another term.

"My commitment is to make sure that we’ve got universal health care for all Americans by the end of my first term as President. I would hope that we set up a system that allows those who can go to their employer to access a federal system or a state pool of some sort."
-- Obama, March 24, 2007

"An additional step we can take to keep insurance companies honest is by making a not-for-profit public option available."
-- Obama, September 9, 2009

"I think one of the options should be a public insurance option. Let me clear. It would only be an option, nobody would be forced to choose it. No one with insurance affected by it. But what it would do is provide more choice and more competition. It would keep pressure on private insurers to keep the policies affordable, to treat their customers better . . . Minnesota I have said I'm open to different ideas on how to set this up -- but I'm not going to back down on the basic principle that if Americans can't find affordable coverage we're going to provide you a choice."
-- Obama, September 13, 2009, Minneapolis


"Whatever the bill you least like would set up an exchange so that people right now who are having to try to bargain for health insurance on their own are suddenly part of a pool of millions that forces insurance companies to compete for their business and give them better deals and lower rates."
-- Obama, October 20, 2009

ND GOP lol

The funny folks heading up North Dakota's Republican Party have included a new section on their homepage: the "Joke of the day." Seriously. And the first joke is a cartoon questioning our President's legitimacy.

Shown on the ND GOP's website is the photo of President Obama shaking hands with state dinner party-crasher Michaele Salahi. Obama is shown asking to see Salahi's invitation. Salahi answers: "If I can see your birth certificate!"

When Adam Jones, political director for the North Dakota GOP, was asked by TalkingPointsMemo.com whether it was appropriate to have a joke involving the President allegedly not being born in this country, Jones became evasive.

Googling Gretchen Carlson

Jon Stewart focused on "Fox & Friends" host, Gretchen Carlson on his December 8 Daily Show. Stewart wonders if Ms. Carlson is dumbing herself down in order to connect with an audience "that sees intellect as an elitist flaw."

ChickenHawk

Tom Tancredo storms off the set during a Nov. 6 MSNBC segment with Daily Kos founder, Markos Moulitas.