Mike Luckovich

By LuckoDull

January 26, 2007 08:05 AM | Link to this

I know which “plan” the enemies of America are buying into-

He could say that again, and, in a way, even about our own elections. With Senate Democrats pushing through that nonbinding resolution opposing the troop surge (mentioned above), it might well be argued that recent U.S. elections brought about “divisions” that have fractured the American identity. Debate is one thing, but, as Sen. Richard G. Lugar, Indiana Republican, who himself considers the troop surge “dubious,” pointed out, “Official roll-call votes carry a unique message.” And, in this vote’s case, that message goes straight to our enemies, who will hunker down to wait for a divided America to up and crumble. This is a disgraceful way for lawmakers to send troops off anywhere.

It’s getting ever harder to distinquish the democrat party from Al Qaeda.

Al Qaeda is fighting for misguided religious convictions, the democrats are fighting for mindless partisan political calculations, America be damned in both cases.

Pis-s on you liberals.

There’s a war on, in case you haven’t noticed.

If you can’t stand the heat then get out of the kitchen.

We don’t need a bunch of whining little bitc-hes, freaking school girls.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

By TW

January 26, 2007 08:07 AM | Link to this

Has Ford not heard of The Rendon Group?

By Mike

January 26, 2007 08:11 AM | Link to this

Wow! Mikey attacking Bush? Whew! Didn’t see that coming!!!

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 08:34 AM | Link to this

Good one ML.

Here’s another ‘toon that DOESN’T suck. In fact Nostradamus would be impressed. It was done in 2003 and is dead-on about what we’re dealing with now in 2007.

By LMAO

January 26, 2007 08:38 AM | Link to this

Mike, really I know you’re trying. You have increased the number of Bush toons lately. But……

They are kinda mild. Why are you taking it so easy on him? Your punishment does not fit the crime. America is going down. Lets hear it!

You have one month to improve. That’s how long my current AJC subscription lasts. Please don’t make me cancel again.

Think about the children.

By regulator

January 26, 2007 08:42 AM | Link to this

There is a war on, why aren’t you there Andy? To chickens—-, I guess.

By jim d

January 26, 2007 08:44 AM | Link to this

Bush had better bail Ford out or he won’t have anywhere to sell all the oil he plans to steal.

By Nomad

January 26, 2007 08:44 AM | Link to this

I was reading somewhere about they clocked Pelosi’s blinking during the SOTU.

You know some researcher said (I will have to find the link) that excessive blinking is a telltale sign of mental instability. But I believe that most Republicans knew that about her. Go figure.

NOMAD

By Roast-Bush Hash

January 26, 2007 08:46 AM | Link to this

LuckoDull is back in form today. Everyone just keep your hands and feet away from his mouth and you might not get bitten. Run if he heists his leg though (he likes to ‘pis-s’ on anything that doesn’t smell like warmed-over Roast-Bush Hash).

Meanwhile, the rest of us are asking, ‘Where’s the beef?’

By Silly Rabbit

January 26, 2007 09:10 AM | Link to this

I’ve seen many cartoons with the idea that the lower corporate sales revenue trends lately are a “surge”.

Maliki has proclaimed that the terrorists cant hide from him. He didn’t really define terrorist, (can anybody really define that word?), so we can assume he means sunnis, and if he means sunnis, then the Saudis are going to play the oil cartel card and expect $70 oil.

Saudis and Sunnis. Sunnis and Saudis. This war is just a little collateral damage away from spreading to a regional melee. Especially now that Maliki is pronouncing the status quo like he’s in charge. There has to be a trust building narrative in the general population conscience, and the odds are that everything Maliki says will contain bloody irony.

As we surge against both the sunni and shia neighborhoods, (beware of the overlap), all it takes is for a renegade Iraqi army brigade to double cross somebody, and what little trust there is will evaporate.

Everything will have to go perfect during the surge to prevent a general breakdown into every tribe for itself.

The chaos of battle always produced unexpected complications when there is factional wild cards.

Bush’s surge will accelerate the end game scenario in Iraq, which is going to bring apocalyptic change to the USA. We’re already in the midst of a political opinion revolution. People are figuring out where they stand and who they are.

End game scenario? No more Iraq. Redraw the maps. This could take the borders of Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Syria with it.

Expect China to start making noise.

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 09:14 AM | Link to this

Nomad - I can’t remember if it was The Daily Show or The Colbert Report that showed a running tally of the number of times Nancy Pelosi blinked as opposed to Cheney. I think it something like 32-1. What they didn’t comment on was that during the running of the tally Bush was keeping right up with Pelosi.

They were neck and neck in the blinking department so I guess there is some truth to your assertion.

By @@

January 26, 2007 09:23 AM | Link to this

Damn ml, you’ve got two Fords ascending, and an automaker in despair.

Why would you pick the Ford in despair?

Is it the (D)espair thingy?

It fuels your little engine, doesn’t it?

By Shawny

January 26, 2007 09:27 AM | Link to this

“Buying Bush’s surge plan…”

Let me finish, “so if they are that gullible and stupid, despite the falling approval numbers, they might buy our stuff as well, despite our falling numbers.”

sad, sad, sad. SSDD….(same shee-ott, different day).

Since we have, once again, a sucky cartoon, here are TWO that don’t suck:

The first is about the hysteria. Love that expression on Al’s (the chicken) face:

http://www.townhall.com/funnies/cartoonist/CoxForkum/2007/01/1

Next up is Shrillary. Now while I agree that it is ridiculous to be discussing this at this moment, so far away from the next elections, we are now having these states try to move their dates way up and start even earlier.

I gotta tell you, that Obama guy doesn’t stand a snowball’s chance in a global warming environment of winning the primary. We know what that Clinton political machine is capable of.

http://www.townhall.com/funnies/cartoonist/MichaelRamirez/2007/01/1

Note: See how Bill is illustrated at the top as “baggage”. That is the funniest part.

By Lord Help Us

January 26, 2007 09:37 AM | Link to this

Lucko-Curl,

When did Chuck Hagel join Al Qaeda?

Peggy Noonan thinks that Congress doing its job is a good thing…

Mr. Hagel has shown courage for a long time. He voted for the war resolution in 2002 but soon after began to question how it was being waged. This was before everyone did. He also stood against the war when that was a lonely place to be. Senate Democrats sat back and watched: If the war worked, they’d change the subject; and if it didn’t, they’d hang it on President Bush. Republicans did their version of inaction; they supported the president until he was unpopular, and then peeled off. This is almost not to be criticized. It’s what politicians do. But it’s not what Mr. Hagel did. He had guts.

Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life…

By Goldie

January 26, 2007 09:40 AM | Link to this

It’s a shame that American car makers have been so beholden to the oil companies that they continued to pump out all those gas-guzzlers for the past 30 years… there were plenty of warnings coming at us during the OPEC oil shortages in the 1970’s. And after Reagan (the “visionary”) came into power, all of the R&D for alternative fuel sources got shut down… so we can thank all of you Reagan-lovers for the demise of American car makers.

By ed lorenzo

January 26, 2007 09:45 AM | Link to this

Overheard at the White House

The State of the Union speech by President Bush did not disclose any new developments or ideas. In spite of the opposition expressed by the majority of the people, by Congress and by the military establishment, President Bush took this opportunity to state emphatically that he will proceed with the “surge”, or additional deployment of 21,000 troops in Iraq at once.

Why does President Bush insist on pursuing his ‘surge’, when all indications, both political and military, point to a resounding failure? Does he know something the rest of us do not know?

“Georgie, your surge to victory sounds like a bad movie. At this point it would be so easy – and reasonable – to cut and run. Of course not in those terms but in a more poetic fashion like calling the turn tail action a managed withdrawal, or a strategic active reduction or a discretionary reverse involvement! Tony will probably have a dozen more handles”

“It is a matter of time my love. Soon the Iraqi government will consolidate its resources and begin a campaign to convince the three major contenders and subsidiary tribes that stable and attractive arrangement are still possible.My Victory Plan is not far off, Lady!”

“Yeah, George but to be able to conceive and build a major consensus among those furious and intransigent insurgents, is going to require new leadership in the Baghdad Government”

“You think so?”

“Abso, George! You have to find a man that can maneuver in that foggy environment, where for about five thousand years neighbors have hated each other and resisted attempts to build friendly relationships and suitable accommodations among themselves Your man has to be a man that can employ the art of deception with great ease. He must employ tactics that will have to border on wickedness and evil. He must be an experience purveyor of dubious statements, cruel, incapable of listening to others, inexorable, unperturbed, cynical and must use dentures, and wear bifocals!”

“ Who are you thinking of, First Lady?”

“Take your pick, President. Cheney or Rumsfeld?”

By Midori

January 26, 2007 09:53 AM | Link to this

No, Shawny — neither of them are funny.

You’re not very discriminating, are you?

Michael Ramirez’ cartoons are never funny - that guy is nothing more than a one-trick pony.

However, I’ll bet he has PLENTY of Pulitzers, doesn’t he?

By Midori

January 26, 2007 09:56 AM | Link to this

Pelosi and Murtha are in Iraq

and I’ll bet they didn’t bring any plastic turkeys with them, either.

By RW-(the original)

January 26, 2007 10:07 AM | Link to this

No, Midori, they just brought white flags.

By Dusty

January 26, 2007 10:09 AM | Link to this

Luckovich,

The President has something to do with Ford Motor Company? Well, maybe he also has something to do with the subscription drop of the AJC.

From the look on the faces at the table in today’s cartoon, I would say they are looking at a Luckovich cartoon. Gets pretty tiresome looking at the twisted exaggerations of the USA President (almost daily), the troops (Pot and Kettle) and the American citizen (jumping ship of state in wartime like rats). But… ho ho, ha ha, might as well put down American industy also. Just another view of the Luckovich Support America plan.

By Midori

January 26, 2007 10:10 AM | Link to this

DAVOS-U.S. invasion was “idiot decision”-Iraq vice president

By Brian Curtis

January 26, 2007 10:13 AM | Link to this

So I assume that Ford’s directors will be dropping its prices or redesigning its vehicles?

Nah, that’s too much work. I expect they’ll whine to the feds for a bailout and complain about those darn union workers and their insane demands for a livable income… all the while taking home multimillion-dollar salary and bonus packages for all their “hard work.” Doin’ a heckuva job, Fordie!

By Edwin Williams

January 26, 2007 10:16 AM | Link to this

Yes Luckovich is tired and repetative and completely predictable as well as NOT funny. However, he tows the “party line”. Let’s not forget, the term “politically correct” was originated by one of the American left’s (Hiss, the Rosenbergs, Lillian Hellman) heros - old Uncle Joe Stalin himself.

By Midori

January 26, 2007 10:20 AM | Link to this

Fitz Alleges New Motive for Libby to Lie

government intends to prove that, at the time he made the charged false statements, defendant was aware that, if Ms. Wilson’s employment status was in fact classified, or that Ms. Wilson was in fact a covert CIA officer, in addition to potential criminal prosecution under a number of statutes, defendant faced the possible loss of his security clearances, removal from office, and termination from employment as a result of his disclosures to New York Times reporter Judith Miller and Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper.

………………

The nondisclosure agreements executed by defendant tend to establish that defendant undoubtedly fully understood the serious obligations imposed by the nondisclosure agreements – and the severe potential consequences of violating them. Given other evidence that will establish that defendant was also aware at the time he made the charged false statements that Ms. Wilson’s employment may have been classified, and that the FBI and grand jury were investigating possible crimes arising from the disclosure of Ms. Wilson’s CIA employment to reporters, the nondisclosure agreements are directly relevant to the issue of whether defendant lied intentionally about his role in receiving and disseminating information concerning Ms. Wilson’s employment. Thus, the agreements should be admitted.

By Dusty

January 26, 2007 10:23 AM | Link to this

RW,

GOOD ONE!!!

After reading the list of Democrats going with Pelosi to Iraq, I’d say they are bringing a big bunch of turkeys. Wonder who is paying the expenses for this large group going to a place they all claim is so dangerous we should “cut’n’run”? (As if I didn’t know!)

By Midori

January 26, 2007 10:24 AM | Link to this

White flags, you say?

why would they “bring” white flags?

aren’t there plenty already there?

they used the napkins bush left behind when he dropped off the turkeys to make the flags.

By @@

January 26, 2007 10:28 AM | Link to this

Midori:

I know you probably pee’d your pants when you saw that headline quoting the Iraq Vice-president, but did you like this quote from him as well?

“If we can win this war in Baghdad then I think we can change the course of events,” Mahdi told a panel on the state of affairs in Iraq.”

“As Iraqis, we think we need more (Iraqi) troops in Baghdad, and we are calling for some regiments to come from other parts of the country,” he said.

I think that’s ^^^ the reason for the surge.

By Huge

January 26, 2007 10:37 AM | Link to this

LHU,

Thanks for the link to the Hagel article.

I really hope this guy runs in 2008! It would give us all a better chance to learn more about him and his positions. But so far I am pretty impressed.

For at least two reasons, he’s very unusual for a republican. He makes a lot of sense and is a decorated combat veteran.

In August 2005, he compared the Iraq War to Vietnam, and openly mocked Cheney’s assertion that the Iraqi insurgency was in its “last throes.”

But one of the greatest things he has ever said was, “To question your government is not unpatriotic — to not question your government is unpatriotic.” (This was in reference to the increasing amount of debate surrounding the Iraq War, and his assertion that the United States should withdraw its troops.)

In December 2005, in reference to Bush, the GOP, and the Patriot Act, Hagel made a much-publicized statement: “I took an oath of office to the Constitution, I didn’t take an oath of office to my party or my president.”

I’m sure this last quote particularly doesn’t sit well with dusty and the other two or three uber-right neo-cons here, but I think Hagel has more courage in his little finger than all of the other repubs put together. And at this point in our nation’s history we really need some courage from our elected leaders.

There is even talk that he might run as an Independent if Rove and the party bosses try to silence him.

And the fact that other gop senators like Orrin Hatch don’t “get him” and gutless morons like suck thinks he supports Al Queda makes him tht much more relevant and interesting.

By Edwin Williams

January 26, 2007 10:38 AM | Link to this

Mr. Curtis disregards the facts completely. The fact is, unions and excessive wage demands caused most of Ford’s problems to begin with. This is not a matter of a living wage anymore. This is a matter of having NO JOBS AT ALL. If Ford is so far in the hole, how can they afford these “living wages”?

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 10:39 AM | Link to this

Read this article from the NYT and you’ll understand why Iraq is lost.

Iraq’s Shiite prime minister and Sunni lawmakers hurled insults at one another during a raucous session of Parliament on Thursday, with the prime minister threatening a Sunni lawmaker with arrest and the Sunni speaker of Parliament threatening to quit.

It goes on and on and on about just how insane the day in parliament was. These people hate each other.

Then there was today’s violence:

[The car bomb attack occurred just outside the Green Zone, ripping apart a market area in the heavily Shiite neighborhood of Karrada.

Um Mohammed, a woman who lives across the street from the site of the bombing, said she saw two buses full of people burn with the passengers trapped inside, dying agonizing deaths.

The attack occurred as people were leaving work, the streets crowded with traffic and local clothes stores packed with customers.

Her neighbor had just sent her 9-year-old boy, Amar Ali Habib, out to play with friends, she said.

“He took his ball and left the house.”

Moments later, he was dead.](http://www.nytimes.com/ 2007/01/26/world/middleeast/ 26iraq.html?_r=1&ei=5094&en= 34508483e07c957c&hp=&ex= 1169787600&partner= homepage&pagewanted=print&oref= slogin)

We did this to them.

By deegee

January 26, 2007 10:39 AM | Link to this

I drive a company vehicle that happens to be a Ford Taurus. Part of what ails Ford is the pathetic customer service experience at the dealerships. I have to go there for oil changes and preventive maintenance. There is never anyone at the service lane to greet you. When you can find a service agent they do everything they can to avoid making eye contact with you. They treat you like you are a nuisance and they act as though they are doing you a favor by getting you in and out in an hour for a simple oil change. No one notifies you when the service is complete. They drive the car up to the front of the building and leave it there. You’re supposed to be on the lookout for it. It’s no wonder Toyota has beaten Ford black and blue. My parents bought a Camry and the customer service experience at Toyota is wonderful.

If Ford is going to make a lackluster vehicle that nobody really wants they can at least make the people that buy them feel as though they are important.

By @@

January 26, 2007 10:39 AM | Link to this

Totally off topic, but this was too cute to pass up.

IGUANA TO LOSE HIS LI’L LIZARD

It puts me in mind of the story I read where the gay community was targeting the advertising media (pharmaceutical companies) for advertising products that help with ED.

Said that the drug companies were responsible are prompting an increase in HIV.

I’m not quite sure how the drug companies are involved in the activity. Is it a threesome?

By @@

January 26, 2007 10:43 AM | Link to this

Oops! Make that “are” a “for” prompting.

By emo boy

January 26, 2007 10:44 AM | Link to this

good toon mike luckovich. very inspirational. we should all should drive a prius. bush sucks.

By Shawny

January 26, 2007 10:52 AM | Link to this

The development if alternate fuels is, and always will be, a market driven decision. To push a large corporation in a “preferred direction” can ONLY be done in the analysis of their WIIFM principles (What’s In It For Me).

There is this thing in America called capitalism. It fosters this dream that individuals can work, either as owners, or a part of a collection of owners, to build an enterprise and control its destiny, with the added responsibility and investment (hopefully) paying off.

With this said, gov’t can INFLUENCE them to make decisions via legislation, and if that is for the good, then gov’t should do it. Examples include CAFE standards of MPG, though many argue this impedes safety, increased taxes on fuel, incentives for purchasing of certain vehicles and the development of said fuels, etc. You can lead big oil and automakers (horses) to alternatives (water), but you can’t make them innovators (drink), unless you address their WIIFM.

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 10:56 AM | Link to this

@@ - No need to correct yourself. We know what you meant. It’s time we stop ridiculing each other for typing mistakes. It’s juvenile.

By Shawny

January 26, 2007 10:57 AM | Link to this

Now, onto addressing other WIIFMs.

Here are two EXCELLENT articles I suggest you read that speak to WIIFMs and a couple of today’s issues on the forefront.

The first addresses this new thing of CEOs jumping onto the CO2 cap bandwagon. Why do you think? Read thoroughly (keep mind open):

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116978243861488666.html?mod=opinion&ojcontent=otep

The other WIIFM talks to the politics of the minimum wage. It is written by economists and looks at the overall impacts to the different classes and attempts to illustrate who it helps and who it hurts. Again, think about the REAL reason this is being pursued, and the bits you, the voter, are told:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116978492591488718.html?mod=opinion&ojcontent=otep

If you can’t access them, perhaps I can post certain key segments.

Enjoy.

By Mrs. Godzilla

January 26, 2007 10:58 AM | Link to this

Good Toon Mike.

Ford made its bed, it is either going to have to lie in it or get up and create a great new vehicle.

How about a model “E”? Something maybe, say, energy efficient? My commuter-mobile currently gets 35/MPG, I’d love to be able to double that.

Anybody hear about “Who killed the electric car?”……

Y’all have a great weekend, stay warm.

Oh, and Nomad - the other side of the eye blinking story…..Cheney didn’t. Kinda creepy. Saw it myself, but you can see it at The Daily Show.

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 11:03 AM | Link to this

[In an interview, Nancy Pelosi said she was puzzled by what she considered the president’s minimalist explanation for his confidence in the new surge of 21,500 U.S. troops that he has presented as the crux of a new “way forward” for U.S. forces in Iraq.

“He’s tried this two times — it’s failed twice,” the California Democrat said. “I asked him at the White House, ‘Mr. President, why do you think this time it’s going to work?’ And he said, ‘Because I told them it had to.’ “

Asked if the president had elaborated, she added that he simply said, ” ‘I told them that they had to.’ That was the end of it. That’s the way it is.”](http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/ 1/25/181526/213)

Pelosi’s final come-back to the president was the following:

PELOSI: He’s tried this two times — it’s failed twice. I asked him at the White House, ‘Mr. President, why do you think this time it’s going to work?’

BUSH: Because I told them it had to.

PELOSI: Why didn’t you tell them that the other two times?

By @@

January 26, 2007 11:08 AM | Link to this

O.K., so this one is kinda on topic.

With more power, can state Dems pass family-leave bill this time?

Saw an upscale California restaurant owner respond to this new bill. He said he thinks it’ll be great for workers to have 9 days sick leave each year, but there will be unforeseen consequences. He’ll have to raise the prices or cut the number of employees.

To quote him…”These ideas don’t always work out as planned. Especially these PROGRESSIVE ideas.

By Buy Danish

January 26, 2007 11:09 AM | Link to this

Blackadder,

You think they hate eachother in Bagdad? How about Leftist thugs storming the stage at Ivy League institutions, like Columbia?

By Shawny

January 26, 2007 11:09 AM | Link to this

Goldie at 9:40…sorry, there are some nice conspiracy theories, but allow me to suggest that….

Car companies aren’t beholden to oil companies. Car companies are beholden to car company stockholders that give them their money (as an investment) and expect more money in return (increased share price plus dividends).

There were no oil shortages in the 1970s. There was restricted output resulting in high prices. OPEC had us by the proverbial cajones…and still do, by the way, and frankly, I would like to get my cajones out of their hands. My car gets 36 mpg…but I would like it to be better, and ideally, I would like it to run on hydrogen.

You do have a good point, though about the decline during the Reagan years…but you must ask yourself why it happened? Hardcore liberals (without real knowledge) would offer that Republicans are in bed with big oil, and the buck stopped there. But that is a wacky theory. Big oil just needs a reason (WIIFM) to change. We need to make it so. Taking away their subsidies seems to make sense, and perhaps it is the right thing to do in the world of record profits, but you WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT get them to change without giving them the right reasons to do so.

By RW-(the original)

January 26, 2007 11:10 AM | Link to this

How serious does anyone think balckadder is about that olive branch to @@ about typing errors?

Just a few days ago he was holding himself up as the model of civility and denouncing any and all name calling.

Then there’s this:

By Blackadder January 12, 2007 03:12 PM | Link to this Dusty - don’t speak unless you are spoken to. I have no time for an insignificant piece of garbage such as you.

and this:

By Blackadder January 12, 2007 03:43 PM | Link to this @@ - Didn’t take you long to spiral into the brainless pit of insults and pettiness. As I told Dusty - from now on speak only when you are spoken to. You are another piece of garbage for which I simply don’t have time for.

By RW-(the original)

January 26, 2007 11:16 AM | Link to this

Thanks for the proof that Nancy Pelosi is completely clueless in this, Blackadder.

We have been training Iraqi troops so that they become more and more ready to take over the defense of their country. Even though the plan this time is significantly different than past efforts, it would stand a better chance for success even if it were the same plan simply because with each passing day their are more and better trained Iraqi forces. Yet Madame Speaker can’t see how anything could possibly be different. No wonder she just wants to surrender formally.

By Dusty

January 26, 2007 11:19 AM | Link to this

Sorry, Blackadder,

Your reprint of conversations between Pelosi and the President just don’t sound “Kosher”. The President gave the exact same words to each leading question Pelosi asked? Doesn’t even sound like a normal conversation and the President is very normal. (Don’t even bother to say he isn’t.)

I think you fall for extreme left propaganda far too easily. But then again I guess you want to. It is more comforting to you than expressing the truth.

By RW-(the original)

January 26, 2007 11:26 AM | Link to this

Shawny,

Aren’t most of what are called subsidies to “Big Oil” really just tax breaks for exploration and suspension of some licencing fees? It seems like these evil oil companies recently made one of the largest deep water oil finds anywhere right here in the Gulf of Mexico and without those incentives would never have attempted to drill there.

I’m running out so I don’t have time to look up the details, let me know if that’s way off base.

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 11:30 AM | Link to this

Yes, we have a recruiting crisis in America because we’re fighting too many wars at once, and the wars we are fighting are going terribly. That is no excuse for the Bush administration running TV commercials that try to convince kids to forget about college, and worse, that imply that recruits to the Army Reserves may not even see battle at all. This appeared on local TV in DC on January 23, 2007.

I wasn’t offering an olive branch. Just trying to raise the discourse a bit. It always seems to slip into pettiness. Thanks for proving my point by reposting my old posts. Now post the comments that led to them. Out of context mine seem worse but then I’m sure that was your aim. Let’s grow up shall we?

By RW-(the original)

January 26, 2007 11:33 AM | Link to this

Remember back to Wednesday of this week when Blackadder said he was glad he had linked Michael Moore’s letter for the “sane” people? After I told him it had already been posted either here or at Wooten’s or both several times he said it was a good thing he posted it Wednesday since if it was only at Wooten’s nobody in his target audience would have seen it.

Guess who cut and pasted it right here at ml’s on January 11th?

By Shawny

January 26, 2007 11:39 AM | Link to this

RW, you are correct. The subsidies are supposed to go toward future findings, etc.

However, I must add, that we would like them to not only find more American oil, but find non-oil sources too…E85, biodiesel, hydrogen, etc. Many of these technologies are not part of their basic enterprise expertise.

Oil profits ebb and flow. When they ebb, the little guy isn’t crying so much, but when they “flow”, and baby they are flowing right now, we go up in arms.

What has to happen is to force the hand of companies (not necessarily big oil) to WANT to develop this.

By RW-(the original)

January 26, 2007 11:41 AM | Link to this

Blachadder,

Here’s what led to your vile response to Dusty Wow!! She told you our elected President wasn’t a dictator!! No wonder you went off. Follow the link and I’m sure you’ll find @@ didn’t deserve the response you gave either.

L8R

By LuckoDull

January 26, 2007 12:05 PM | Link to this

Then, when the president mentioned ending genocide in Darfur, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her party leaped to their feet. Perhaps such applause is mere grace on the cheap. Democrats know they can count on their beloved United Nations to prevent serious intervention in Sudan’s civil war. Or maybe the Democrats really want action in Darfur, even though that would put us smack dab in the middle of a civil war, which Jack Murtha, Joe Biden, and other war critics invoke as a classic blunder the way Vizzini referred to land wars in Southeast Asia in “The Princess Bride.”

Why do democrats work so hard to not be democrats?

Think about that for a second.

Is there something wrong with being a democrat?

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

By getalife

January 26, 2007 12:08 PM | Link to this

Senator Kennedy asks this excellent question:

“Do you have such disdain for hard-working Americans that you want to pile all your amendments on this? Why don’t you just hold your amendments until other pieces of legislation? Why this volume of amendments on just the issue to try and raise the minimum wage? What is it about it that drives you Republicans crazy? What is it? Something. Something! What is the price that the workers have to pay to get an increase? What is it about working men and women that you find so offensive?”

Your Senators voted to eliminate the minumim wage and do not support we the people.

They are corporate w-hores who should be purged from office in 08. Period.

By LuckoDull

January 26, 2007 12:13 PM | Link to this

Victory in Iraq would not only be a positive development for those in the Middle East with effects being felt around the world, and a huge success for those in the U.S. military, but success in Iraq would be seen as the ultimate success for the Bush presidency. For too many politicians considering the options in Iraq, and the choice between defeat through surrender or pursuit of victory, that is a huge problem.

We can’t have a success for the “Bush presidency,” now can we, dullards?

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 12:16 PM | Link to this

Yes, RW I am guilty of the same thing as everyone else. The difference is I’d like to raise the stakes a bit while you seem intent on keeping things in the gutter. I admit to being insulting at times but I’m working on it. Are you?

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 12:20 PM | Link to this

Senator Voinovich (R-OH) is the latest confused Republican

[Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, said he believed the resolution could be viewed as a political attack on Bush and misinterpreted “by our enemies as abandoning Iraq.” But, he added, he remained skeptical that additional troops in Baghdad would be successful.

“I have been waiting for the administration to extend an olive branch in an attempt to forge a compromise” that would make clear “we stand united as a nation,” he said. “I obviously have been disappointed since that has not happened.”](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070125/ apongoco/usiraq;ylt= Apin7xIzGawuQc7cNp39e2GyFz4D;ylu= X3oDMTA2Z2szazkxBHNlYwN0bQ—)

So Voinovich doesn’t want to send the wrong message to our enemies or the Iraqis, but then at the same time he says outright that he is skeptical of the Bush plan and may even vote to voice his opposition to the plan. But that vote, somehow, magically, won’t tell our enemies, the Iraqis, or the troops that Voinovich doesn’t support their mission.

The Republicans are trying to play it both ways. They oppose Bush’s escalation, are willing to say so publicly, but then won’t vote to oppose it, even in a token resolution, because somehow that resolution, but not their own words already stated publicly, will harm the war effort and undermine our troops. Do they think our troops, the Iraqis, and our enemies are deaf or dumb?

By @@

January 26, 2007 12:21 PM | Link to this

Gee Getalife, I have a really hard time finding any genuine compassion in a uber-rich lifelong politician who maintains off-shore accounts.

But then that’s just me….

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 12:27 PM | Link to this

RW - about your 11:41. Thanks for the link and for, once again, proving me right. If one were just read your post and not click the link, they would conclude that all Dust said was that “our elected President wasn’t a dictator”.

Her entire post paints quite a different picture. I suppose you didn’t see the unwarranted insults.

Oh well. Pick and choose the evidence just like you pick and choose the facts.

I am confident we can improve the rhetoric here and not include the petty insults and name calling. Are you in or out?

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 12:30 PM | Link to this

@@ - just curious. Is Kennedy the only uber-rich lifelong politician who maintains off-shore accounts? Just wondering because I could swear the Bush family is in that same boat.

By Buy Danish

January 26, 2007 12:37 PM | Link to this

I admit to being insulting at times but I’m working on it.

Blackadder,

In context or out of context, you’re telling people you disagree with to STFU.

Moreover, you are providing more evidence that this blog is just some sort of fantasy playground for you.

You get to change your name whenever you want and now you’re playacting with your behavioral problems by using this forum to “work on them”.

Here’s an anger management website with a blog that might better suit your needs. You can hang with the “movers and shakers in the anger management”.

Go for it.

By Shawny

January 26, 2007 12:40 PM | Link to this

Getalife at 12:08…. Sorry, but I must change your moniker to Getaclue on this post. Sen Kennedy, that lovable champion for the little guy against the big bad corporations is playing you, just like he is playing so many others. He gets a huge push from big labor, who if you think about it, really don’t stand to gain anything for their members. Do you know of any union jobs that pay less than $7 per hour? Come on, try hard, now.

While I feel that there may need to be a minimum wage in existence, its importance is, first of all, overblown for a host of reasons, and secondly, very large leaps in the level does not necessarily help those it intends to help. Once again, I offer up this article from credible sources, not partisan hacks:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB116978492591488718.html?mod=opinion&ojcontent=otep

Great piece.

By getalife

January 26, 2007 12:43 PM | Link to this

@@,

I don’t get supporting the corporate w-hore party unless you are rich and own a corporation.

We the people are not supported by the gop.

It is very obviuos.

By Shawny

January 26, 2007 12:47 PM | Link to this

http://www.townhall.com/funnies/cartoonist/ChipBok/2007/01/1

http://www.townhall.com/funnies/cartoonist/PaulNowak/2007/01/1

Two more good ones…

Dennis Miller was on O’Reilly and tossed out the following hilarious barbs:

“I’m operating under a heavy heart tonight, what with this John Kerry announcement that he’s not going to run, going back to his day job as an Easter Island statue. “

“The State of the Union, brilliant visually. I mean, I usually TiVo this thing so I can fast forward through Hillary’s cavernous yawns, but she was just kind of cranky this time. Obama was very attentive. He looked to be all ears.”

“And I, like everybody else, was completely fascinated by “Blinky” Pelosi over the shoulder. You know something? If you could hook some cables up to that eye twitch, we wouldn’t even need ethanol. You could power half the country on that.”

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 12:48 PM | Link to this

In another stunning blow to the security and integrity of Diebold’s electronic voting machines, someone has made a copy of the key which opens ALL Diebold e-voting machines from a picture on the company’s own website. The working keys were confirmed by Princeton scientists, the same people who discovered that a simple virus hack on the Diebold machines could steal an election. Absolutely incredible and another example of how Diebold’s e-voting machines pose a great threat to the electoral process.

This should concern us all. Either party or anyone from anywhere could easily take advantage of this.

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 12:49 PM | Link to this

Thanks Buy Danish - I love you too.

By Buy Danish

January 26, 2007 12:52 PM | Link to this

blackadder,

Dusty is a pefect lady. If you can’t handle her “insults” then you are simply too pathetic for words.

I read Dusty’s post and the only problem with it is that she nailed you to the wall with the truth.

Go buy yourself a big box of tissues.

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 12:54 PM | Link to this

BD - by the way - I wasn’t taking exception to Dusty disagreeing with me. I was taking exception to the insulting manner in which it was done.

We can disagree and still not belittle one another, right?

By Dusty

January 26, 2007 12:55 PM | Link to this

BlackAdder,

You may “repost” any of my posts at any time. @@ and RW have described your “problems” quite well.

Would you give us some documented facts on the offshore investments of the Bush family? I don’t think there are any because that sounds like another one of your unfounded rumors about the President.

By Emma

January 26, 2007 12:55 PM | Link to this

There will be NO American victory in Iraq. That’s because the fighting in Iraq has NOTHING to do with America or Americans.

The fighting will ONLY end when Kurds, Shia, & Sunni can agree on a way to distribute Iraq’s oil wealth. Until that happens—we’ll be at their mercy indefinitely. And let me assure you, they won’t agree. They’ve been fighting for centuries; why should they stop now?

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 01:02 PM | Link to this

Dusty - I’ll be happy to provide you with the information you requested just as soon as I see the same regarding Kennedy.

Love, Blackadder

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 01:04 PM | Link to this

BD - It’s not a matter of being ablt to handle the insults. I just feel that there is no reason to engage in that type of behavior,

Love, Blackadder

By Buy Danish

January 26, 2007 01:09 PM | Link to this

Blackadder,

Apparently your ego has been “insulted” by the truth and now you’re insulting our intelligence.

This is not a place to come if you’re looking for love and affection. It’s a political blog not an Esalen session, and you obviously don’t have what it takes to participate.

If blogging with the movers and shakers in anger managment isn’t your thing, maybe group therapy will give you the hugs you need.

By Buy Danish

January 26, 2007 01:13 PM | Link to this

Blackadder,

Cut the passive-aggressive baloney, okay?

Maybe this technique works with your mommy or your friends, but there are experiened adults here who have no patience for this sort of BS.

By Dusty

January 26, 2007 01:14 PM | Link to this

Buy Danish,

BlackAdder sees the truth as insults. Oh well. It’s the Democratic version of things, I suppose.

By @@

January 26, 2007 01:18 PM | Link to this

Well Getalife, there’s corporate welfare which generates jobs for working Americans, and then there’s government welfare that generates wealth for politicians.

Assembly speaker generous with raises

My poor California, they’re on the brink of financial disaster, and their politicians are raking in their money to pay themselves.

Businesses are leaving in mass because of the taxes and regulations imposed on them.

And then Arnold goes an offers government healthcare for illegal aliens. Yes…I know he’s a Republican. I wonder if Uncle Teddy has any influence? He was a big, really big (fat) factor in the illegal immigration problem (ending quotas 1965?).

You know what they say about California and the globe tilt. They better get ready, because there’s gonna be a huge surge of illegals to Cali for the free healthcare.

We shall see…

By Dusty

January 26, 2007 01:24 PM | Link to this

BlackAdder,

Sorry I didn’t know about your overnight “conversion”. Buy Danish has some excellent suggestions for further therapy. Good luck.

I will send you a Valentine if I know what name you are using in February.

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 01:28 PM | Link to this

Dusty, BD, et al. It’s been really fun but now it’s time to get back to more serious matters.

Like this…

In a political world where endorsements are key to both raising profile and opening doors to raising additional funds, Hillary has just sewn it up.

Elizabeth Taylor announced her endorsement of Hillary for president. Oh, boy.

I guess Democrats who might actually win the election should just pack up their toys and go home.

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 01:30 PM | Link to this

Dusty - thanks for the kind thoughts. I will probably still be using Blackadder. I am quite fond of it. It sounds much better than Proud Pinko Liberal.

I’ll be waiting for my Valentine. No chocolate though. I’m trying to cut down.

By Shawny

January 26, 2007 01:35 PM | Link to this

Bank on this…

Shrillary will win in a landslide. That Clinton machine is powerful and far reaching.

And then she will lose in the general election….sorry.

By getalife

January 26, 2007 01:37 PM | Link to this

“Well Getalife, there’s corporate welfare which generates jobs for working Americans”

Ha, ha, good one @@.

You mean outscourcing to China and India.

Geez, get real.

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 01:39 PM | Link to this

Concerning the Bush plan to tax our health care. Let me get this straight. Bush wants to tax health coverage provided by your employer if it exceeds a certain amount that will be determined by the government at a later date and time, is that correct? If not please enlighten me. My question is this, is Bush suggesting that only the middle class, sick, dying and professionals that have high risk occupations pay more because they are middle class, sick, dying and professionals that have high risk occupations?

Not following along? Let me explain, in simplicity Bush’s plan sounds like a neat idea, but that’s where it ends. In states that have laws that don’t allow insurance companies to charge more based on your occupation or current health status this plan might be a good idea but most states don’t have these laws.

So if you are a fire fighter, or a policeman, have cancer, had cancer in the past, smoke too much, have a bad driving record, live next to power lines, are prone to being mugged more than once a month, fall off your mountain bike too much, you can plan on paying a premium for your insurance and according to Bush’s plan you would soon be taxed for it.

Why does our president hate the working class?

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 01:44 PM | Link to this

[In a show of perfect immaturity, Republican lawmaker John Mica (Fl) stormed out of a House Transportation Committee meeting last week because he felt that he was not given a ‘proper’ place to sit during an orientation meeting.

Not given a proper place to sit? OMFG, cry me a river!

According to an article in Roll Call, Mica, the leading Republican on the committee, threw his little hissy fit when told he could not be seated at the front of the meeting where the committee chairman (a Democrat) and the two speaking guests were seated. Every other person, committee members, staff, and guests were all seated in the audience, and that is where Mica was told he could sit too.

But instead of acting like an adult and taking a seat so the meeting could begin, Mica gave what is described as a verbal lashing to the Democratic staffer directing people to seats, then told his Republican colleagues they should all leave the meeting. Being good sheep, they left with him.

After more than a decade of being in control of the House, and after six years of treating Democrats as if they were lower than cockroaches, this is how the Republican party acts when relegated to the minority. By throwing hissy fits about seating arrangements. Maybe that’s the only way they can feel relevant these days.

I wish I were more amazed by this behavior, but I am not. It is simply a case of the mask coming off and the reality being exposed.](http://www.teambio.org/2007/ 01/florida-republican-throws-temper- tantrum-about-seating-arrangements/

By Shawny

January 26, 2007 01:48 PM | Link to this

Why do they outsource to India and China? What is in it for them to give the jobs to Americans?

Overpriced (relative to job skill) union wages,

Multi-employer union pension messes,

High US corporate taxes, including FICA on behalf of each employee in the US,

Why keep them here?

So lets pass laws that jack up the tariffs on imported goods so high that companies would be forced to use more US labor. Great…now basic goods are very expensive and who does that hurt the most?!? Not the rich.

Force companies to lay off workers because they have a set salary and wages budget to work within…who does that hurt?!? Not the guy that kept his job, but the one that got layed off.

Oh, but you won’t hear supersized bobble head Ted Kennedy talk about that.

By Shawny

January 26, 2007 01:54 PM | Link to this

Back to Mikey’s Bush bash du jour…

I am a Ford guy, but for the first time ever, I bought a Toyota. Car to get the daughter through college and hopefully beyond.

Toyota, the parent company, has many advantages over Ford. So many so that they are able to produce a better product for less money.

Makes you wonder how they can do that…

Now there are some idiots that will jump on Ford, and not just for producing cars in Mexico or Chevy with their Canadian Monte Carlo.

By Dusty

January 26, 2007 01:57 PM | Link to this

Blackadder,

Seating the leading Republican member on a committee in the audience at a committee meeting is certainly the way to show bi-partisanship.

Too bad you can’t go to Washington and show the Democrats how to have a “conversion”, i.e. act nice.

By RE

January 26, 2007 01:57 PM | Link to this

Shawny,

I agree with you on the pensions, they were a good idea back in the 40s and 50s when you were only supposed to live a few years after you quit, now people are getting pension checks for 30-40 years after retiring from 20-30 years of work. Better to move towards an individual annuity or 401k plan like most companies are.

Aside from that, how would you keep jobs in the US at wages people can live off of?

By RW-(the original)

January 26, 2007 02:04 PM | Link to this

Somebody really has a problem with name changers.

By Proud Pinko Liberal January 5, 2007 01:02 PM | Link to this Treva - You must be new hear. LuckoDull, AKA Andy among MANY other names has been offending most of us for a long, long time. As you become more of a regular you’ll learn to ignore his posts. They’re a wast of time and energy. And don’t ever debate him. It’s an exercise in futility. His mom really needs to keep a shorter leash on him or monitor his meds more effectively.

I mean really dislikes that practice.

By Proud Pinko Liberal January 9, 2007 08:55 AM | Link to this Please explain to me why you people still acknowledge Andy. You know that what he writes is tripe. Just scroll past it and go on to the next post. It isn’t like his garbage isn’t easily identifiable regardless of which name he uses that week.

Well he hated it until the next cartoon with a little mid day switch.

Buy Danish,

I think it sounds more like the snake needs to join finch in the sanitarium.

By Goldie

January 26, 2007 02:19 PM | Link to this

{Shrillary will win in a landslide. That Clinton machine is powerful and far reaching. And then she will lose in the general election….sorry.}

Shawny— I’ll bet that you were on the “Howard Dean wins in a landslide” bandwagon back in 2003, too — way before the primaries even got started…

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 02:24 PM | Link to this

“Seating the leading Republican member on a committee in the audience at a committee meeting is certainly the way to show bi-partisanship.” -Dusty

Read it one more time. The ONLY members seated at the front were the chairman and two guest speakers. ALL OTHERS were seated in the audience. What makes Mica so special? He apparently thinks he’s still relevant.

“According to an article in Roll Call, Mica, the leading Republican on the committee, threw his little hissy fit when told he could not be seated at the front of the meeting where the committee chairman (a Democrat) and the two speaking guests were seated. Every other person, committee members, staff, and guests were all seated in the audience, and that is where Mica was told he could sit too.”

Was it you who also complained that we can’t use the BOLD feature in this blog? I agree. It sure would be nice to be able to point out specific points in a paragraph.

By RW-(the original)

January 26, 2007 02:29 PM | Link to this

Was someone looking for liberal hypocrisy? I think that book also goes into great detail on the ways the Kennedy’s protect their money from inheritance taxes that they fight so hard to make the rest of us pay too.

Some of you that have been involved in the discussions when the whack job from Princeton, Peter Singer, comes up will be especially interested in the start of the article linked above. Good thing for Singer’s Mom that he’s a hypocrite.

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 02:31 PM | Link to this

RW - be serious. While those posts mention Andy’s name change that wasn’t the point of the complaint. It was the pointless content of his posts.

I don’t find it offensive when you go on and on about my name changes. I would, however, think you had better things to do and talk about than to keep rehashing this over and over.

You act as if my changing my name once or twice (not including the Quote thing) is worse than when Andy used to change his every week or so.

Can we FINALLY put this to rest? It’s really quite boring.

By Buy Danish

January 26, 2007 02:33 PM | Link to this

RW,

You’re not kidding. Although some birds are snake predators, so it could be dangerous for the Blackadder if they shared the same cell.

By RW-(the original)

January 26, 2007 02:35 PM | Link to this

Blackadder,

When you complained about the bolding and your screwed up links the other day I told you how to do the links and welcomed you to the blog with the caveat that you may not be new here. You thanked me and I have to think it was for the welcome and you were pretending to be new, because you obviously didn’t take heed that you have to format each paragraph separately to do a link.

Some of us use {{{{{this}}}}} to mark a selected portion of a paragraph. Some us ———->this<—————, I hope that helps.

By Dusty

January 26, 2007 02:38 PM | Link to this

Blackadder,

What does LEADING mean to you? What does LEADER mean to you? What does COMMITTEE MEETING mean to you? What does REPUBLICAN LEADER ON COMMITTEE mean to you?

OH, I see. Nothing. No wonder Democrats go down hill all the time.

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 02:39 PM | Link to this

HAHA you guys are just too funny. But seriously. Aren’t there more important things we could be discussing? Don’t get me wrong. All this attention is quite flattering but in case you haven’t noticed we are at war and the country is polarized like never before. I think those topics are much more important. Don’t you?

Love, Blackadder

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 02:44 PM | Link to this

Crimes by degree of heinousness (Republican Edition):

Shall I go on?

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 02:46 PM | Link to this

Of course we support the overwhelming majority of our troops but ones like these guys go to show that they all don’t deserve our support. They’re not all good and righteous as some would have you think.

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 02:51 PM | Link to this

Dusty - There is only one chairman. He was in the front. There were also Dem leaders who were seated in the audience. There were also Dem committee members seated in the audience. Why is Mica so special? He’s not the chairman.

Do you just argue for arguments sake?

By @@

January 26, 2007 02:53 PM | Link to this

Former or Latter Blackadder:

I’m really having a hard time getting into this Republican you chide for his opposition to his seat assignment.

The point being……there is none. The guy was p**, he has an ego. Many politicians (both sides) do.

In my opinion, it would be more noteworthy to discuss how John Edwards, Democratic presidential candidate, seeking to lessen the separation between him and the people, seats those people.

As reporters roamed like free-range chickens throughout more than half of the gymnasium cordoned off for them, audience members were needlessly packed into a sardine tin. Union members bused in from Massachusetts and key New Hampshire politicians, of course, were hustled past the peons and given preferential seating.

Catering to politicians, unions and the media while The People are left standing in the cold New England air is an interesting launch for such a class conscious pseudo-populist campaign

Now that ^^^ topic is worthy of discussion.

Would you care to have a go at it?

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 02:55 PM | Link to this

I suppose I should have answered in a more specific manner:

What does LEADING mean to you? It means you sit in the audience with the other leaders (except for the chairman)

What does LEADER mean to you? Same as above.

What does COMMITTEE MEETING mean to you? That’s usually a meeting of committee members (that was a silly question).

What does REPUBLICAN LEADER ON COMMITTEE mean to you? That means you sit in the audience with the Democratic leaders on committee.

By Buy Danish

January 26, 2007 02:59 PM | Link to this

Blackadder,

One more time. It is not about the number of times Andy changed his name. It is about why he did it, that he had no choice but to do it, and the fact that he didn’t hide behind the name changes.

Since it IS boring to keep explaining this over and over again, why do you keep bringing it up?

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 03:04 PM | Link to this

@@ - for once we are in agreement. That was a shoddy way to treat the public. I don’t care for an elitist attitude no matter the party. They are both guilty of it.

By Buy Danish

January 26, 2007 03:06 PM | Link to this

Petreaus was just confirmed by a unanimous Senate vote.

He told the Senate in no uncertain terms what his strategic plans are in Iraq.

What kind of person votes to approve a General’s nomination, wishes the person “Godspeed”, but turns around and stabs the person (and those under his command) in the back by supporting a chickens#*t non-binding resolution that condems the General’s plans?

By Dusty

January 26, 2007 03:09 PM | Link to this

Blackadder,

There is only one Committee Chairman but there are two parties in Congress. Both have suggested they will show greater bi-partisanship.

The seating at a meeting is most certainly left to the chairman. He showed no bipartisanship.

The President has already been very gracious about this. Too bad the Democrats don’t have the character to do the same.

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 03:11 PM | Link to this

RW - I was thanking you for the help in formatting, not the welcome. I apologize if I gave the wrong impression.

It’s weird. Sometimes the link thing works for me and sometimes it doesn’t.

I appreciate you taking the time to help me sort it out.

By Midori

January 26, 2007 03:20 PM | Link to this

Shawny, I’ve been looking for toons worthy of your all powerful and keen sense of, um, whatever. Here ya go. I promise to keep em coming.

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 03:21 PM | Link to this

Dusty - Not all Dems are going to work in the spirit of bi-partisanship. They’re still smarting from being treated so shabbily for 12 years. You must admit they weren’t exactly treated fairly.

Maybe I’m missing something. If ALL the other committee member were seated in the audience why would Mica be allowed in the front with the chairman and the two guest speakers? The fact that Mica is a committee member of the other party doesn’t put him in the same category as the chairman. It puts him in the category of all the other committee members. Democrat or Republican.

Then walking out when he didn’t get his way was just ridiculous.

By Little Girl

January 26, 2007 03:24 PM | Link to this

Oh RW, you made it. Again. C’mon in and have a cookie. I just baked em. It’s my 13th birthday. Put your ugly body in the hot tub, I’ll be right with you. Kay?

By Blackadder

January 26, 2007 03:26 PM | Link to this

Well folks it’s been fun but I have to go. Have a pleasant evening.

By Shawny

January 26, 2007 03:27 PM | Link to this

“Shawny— I’ll bet that you were on the “Howard Dean wins in a landslide” bandwagon back in 2003, too — way before the primaries even got started…”

Nah…though I expected Howieboy to do better than he did against Mr Statue. After the “scream” and ensuing scream sound bites over and over, Howie was toast.

One thing, though, Dean is no Clinton.

By Shawny

January 26, 2007 03:32 PM | Link to this

RE, I don’t think there is an easy answer to keeping jobs here. It would take multiple events coming together to make it reasonable to expect companies to want to keep them here.

If I could wave a magic wand and abolish all labor unions, I would. That would go a long ways in elimining part of the problem. Unions were quite useful and necessary in the days of children working 14 hour days for practically nothing, but in today’s world of low unemployment and high job demand, their day should be over. Unfortunately, they are entrenced and quite powerful.

By RE

January 26, 2007 03:36 PM | Link to this

So long as the question is out there about the 2008 presidential elections, I know some of you think a republican is going to win. Which republican can win the election. Whoever wins in 08 is going to repudiate the Bush administration’s policies, so if a GOP candidate wins in 08, I think the candidate will be strongly anti-bush

By Midori

January 26, 2007 03:37 PM | Link to this

nother good one for ya, shawny

By @@

January 26, 2007 03:39 PM | Link to this

Former or Latter Blackadder:

I’m sitting her laughing hysterically at what you just said:

{{{@@, for once we are in agreement. I don’t care for an elitist attitude…}}}

Especially when I have this comment you made to reflect on:

{{{As I told Dusty - from now on speak only when you are spoken to. You are another piece of garbage for which I simply don’t have time for.}}}

And….so everyone will know….both John Edwards and Blackadder, be he former or latter, are DEMOCRATS!!!!!

I enjoyed that…..

By Sal

January 26, 2007 03:43 PM | Link to this

Don’t get too serious about being serious on this blog. People think they’re serious as they rave on with their mindless nonsense. Only about 6 have brains. The rest don’t even have a sense of humor. All of which make the blog itself, well, hysterical. Get a grip - if only on yourselves.

By Buy Danish

January 26, 2007 03:44 PM | Link to this

@@,

If Blackadder is smart he’ll be back in full disguise with a brand new name.

It’s pretty hard to overcome his handicap.

By N-GA

January 26, 2007 03:51 PM | Link to this

Shawny,

The power of unions has long been overstated. Reagan proved that when he single-handedly busted the Air Traffic Controllers union. What has long been out-of-control is much of America’s senior management who kow-tow to labor to avoid major confrontations, then they take home huge compensation packages for taking the easy route.

Even baseball unions are weak…they ruined an entire season, then caved in to management’s demands. It’s all about management strength. If you look at successful (read:profitable) American companies you don’t see big labor problems. Example: General Electric or Pepsico or Intel or Cisco…you only hear about labor issues from the whiners. Those would be companies in the automobile and airline industries.

Once again, look at the earning multiples of the top executives in American companies versus their peers in Japan and Europe. (by “multiples” I refer to the earnings of the top executive divided by the earnings of the lowest paid FTE in the company).

By @@

January 26, 2007 03:51 PM | Link to this

Buy Danish:

I have no doubt about Blackadder’s return incognito. Possibly to give himself permission to unleash his dormant beast. Eeeeewwwwww!!!

Shawny:

This should be fun. You have awakened Midori’s maternal instinct to protect Mike Luckovich. She’s challenged you to a cartoon duel.

We’ll have to figure out a way for all to indicate preference. Applause meter won’t work.

By RE

January 26, 2007 03:53 PM | Link to this

Shawny,

Without a doubt, unions can demand too much compensation at times. On the other hand they also are a driving factor in increasing workplace safety, establishing a middle class, and providing a great deal of security for the members of the union.

You seem to be a big believer in the free market, unions are a part of the free market economy. The free market does not cure all ills, the only responsibility of a corporation is to make profit, profit being measured by dividends to shareholders and compensation to CEOs and VPs. Of all the problems out there in society, CEOs and VPs going on welfare isn’t really high up on the list. The free market needs to be checked by governmental regulation.

By Buy Danish

January 26, 2007 04:13 PM | Link to this

@@,

Speaking of eeeeeewwwww -

Most harmless snakes put off predators by releasing a foul-smelling mixture of musk and faeces from their cloaca. They may wipe the stuff all over their bodies by writhing in coils (yucky!). The stuff doesn’t just smell bad, it also tastes vile and is long-lasting.

By RW-(the original)

January 26, 2007 04:15 PM | Link to this

Blackadder,

It’s not a weird “sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t” thing. If you bracket multiple paragraphs and then put the URL at the end it won’t work. If you bracket each paragraph and place the URL at the end of each paragraph it will work.

By @@

January 26, 2007 04:23 PM | Link to this

I thought OSHA oversaw workplace safety, so that only leaves middle class job security.

Well until the union’s demands bankrupt the company. Then it’s bye bye job security.

By I thought we were supposed to care about each other?

January 26, 2007 04:28 PM | Link to this

Came back today and I’m wondering why I did. Buy Danish and Dusty are up to it again. Why don’t the both of you find a kindergarten playground to bully on. Again, still not contributing to society in a meaningful way. How about getting a job or maybe you don’t need one. You must be in the population that gets huge tax breaks from Bush. That could be the only reason you still support him. There are more people starving under this president than any other. But as long as your getting yours and then some- who cares-right?

By RE

January 26, 2007 04:30 PM | Link to this

@@

I have worked for the last 18 years at various jobs. In all that time I have never seen an osha inspector, have you?

By RW-(the original)

January 26, 2007 04:34 PM | Link to this

By RE-{{{{{The free market needs to be checked by governmental regulation.}}}}}

At least that’s what the government tells good little toadies to believe. No wonder the government needs control of education, it’s the only way they can turn out enough people to spout moronic nonsense like that and actually believe it.

The free market works every time it’s tried, we just nearly never try it.

By RW-(the original)

January 26, 2007 04:40 PM | Link to this

{{{{{There are more people starving under this president than any other.}}}}}

RE’s guardian angel shows up just in the nick of time, making a statement even more bizarre and idiotic than RE’s statement about socialism being the only way.

I think I’ll step out until a new flock of moonbats fly in.

By Midori

January 26, 2007 04:52 PM | Link to this

A friend sent me a few bumperstickers:

At Least Nixon Resigned

Bush Never Exhaled

Is It Vietnam Yet?

We’re Making Enemies Faster Than We Can Kill Them

Bad President! No Banana.

No, Seriously, Why Did We Invade Iraq?

Cheney/Satan ‘08

Whose God Do You Kill For?

America: One Nation, Under Surveillance

Impeachment: It’s Not Just for B***** Anymore

George Bush: Creating the Terrorists Our Kids Will Have to Fight

Hey, Bush Supporters: Embarrassed Yet?

Of Course It Hurts: You’re Getting Screwed by an Elephant

If You Can Read This, You’re Not Our President

If You Want a Nation Ruled By Religion, Move to Iran

Let’s Fix Democracy in This Country First

That’s OK, I Wasn’t Using My Civil Liberties Anyway

Bush: God’s Way of Proving Intelligent Design is Full Of Crap

By @@

January 26, 2007 04:53 PM | Link to this

There is something amiss with your site today ml. Large blocks of posts are disappearing and reappearing.

Anyway, I’ve been checking out “overstated” power of unions.

The problem I have with these labor PACS is their members have no say so about political party contributions.

It’s their money. What if somebody preferred their dues go to a Republican.

By RE

January 26, 2007 05:08 PM | Link to this

AH RW,

Typical black and white world view. Everyone believes in socialism, they just take it for granted. From the list of the following governmental agencies that regulate business, please tell me which, if any, would you like to keep in your anti-socialist worldview:

FDA, USDA, OSHA, Securities and Exchange commision, FDiC, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Dept of homeland security, DEA, ATF, CIA, FBI…

Along with your local police and fire departments.

Hey next time your house catches fire, why don’t you bid out for a private firefighting company.

By @@

January 26, 2007 05:09 PM | Link to this

RE:

No OSHA?

Do you mean to tell me that a government department isn’t meeting their responsibility to the citizens? And you want to give them more money in hopes that they will?

Not OSHA at work. Fire, Health, Building Inspectors, Electrical Inspectors. Lots of those types.

By LuckoDull

January 26, 2007 05:12 PM | Link to this

The interviewer, talking to James Webb, democrat, Virginia about “Fields of Fire,” mentioned that Jane Fonda was in town and asked Webb whether he might wish to meet her. “Jane Fonda can kiss my as-s,” Webb replied. “I wouldn’t go across the street to watch her slit her wrist.”

Nice guy that Webb fellow is.

By RW-(the original)

January 26, 2007 05:21 PM | Link to this

RE,

Why the obfuscation? I don’t want government involving itself in the free market, how do you interpret that to mean I don’t think there shouldn’t be any governmental function whatsoever?

Your comment where you made the idiotic ending is about profits, wages, etc. There is no way the government has any business setting those things for private business.

I think your fire department song and dance pretty much proves you knew how foolish your original statement was so that’s a good start.

By getalife

January 26, 2007 05:21 PM | Link to this

Nice guys finish Dull.

For @@

By RE

January 26, 2007 05:25 PM | Link to this

SO than you do like those socialist protections RW?

Ok directly invloving Business, what are your thoughts on the SEC, Fannie MAe, Freddie Mac and the FDIC?

By N-GA

January 26, 2007 05:26 PM | Link to this

Does anyone have statistics on total new car/truck sales in the US regardless of manufacturer for 10+ years running?

By RW-(the original)

January 26, 2007 05:27 PM | Link to this

Pardon my double negative at 5:21 please. Feel free to change “don’t” or “shouldn’t” as you wish.

By Buy Danish

January 26, 2007 05:42 PM | Link to this

I could not care less,

You go girl. You side with Blackadder the juvenile role playing martinet.

I’ll stick with Dusty, our own poet laureate.

Midori,

A friend of yours posted those slogans days ago. Thanks for the spam.

By @@

January 26, 2007 05:42 PM | Link to this

Getalife:

Thanks. That’s the first time I’ve ever watched Jon Stewart. Jon’s funny, but not pretty.

Dick? Well he’s pretty and can also be funny.

By The Peoples for a Nuked Amerika' Century~!

January 26, 2007 05:48 PM | Link to this

Midori -

More Bumper Stickers:

Iraq is Arabic for Vietnam.

I think - Therefore I’m Democrat

Blue is back! (picture of Whitehouse colored blue)

My Child is an honor student. My President is a moron.

Somewhere in Texas a Villiage is missing it’s Idiot.

Can’t wait Until 2008

Who Would Jesus Torture?

Cheney/Voldemort 2008

GOD is not spelled G.O.P.

Support our Troops - Impeach Bush!

Draft Republicans

Buck Fush

New Orleans will never Forget nor Forgive

Cowboy Bush - “The Fascist Gun In the West”

Save American Jobs - Impeach Bush

I Voted Today but all I got was this lousy President.

Stop Mad CowBoy Disease

Who needs brains when you have boobs like these two (picture of Bush and Cheney)

Bush has destroyed Iraq - America is next on his list

Dubya is a “Weapon of Mass Deception”

Frodo Failed - Bush has the Ring!

I’m Anti-W-ar

Premature Iraq Elation

I’m George W. Bush and I approved this Mess-

I never thought that I’d miss Nixon

At least he had an “Exit Strategy” in Vietnam

Dubya’s approval rating is approaching his IQ

The Last King George ended in a Revolution

Like a rock (Only Dumber)

These days there seems to be a terrorist behind every BUSH

Bush Bin-Lyin’

Drunken Fratboy drives country into Ditch

The only think Bush fixes is Elections

Bush is a 4 letter word

Darwin or Bush - One of them is a mistake

WWGD - Why Would George Desert

Part Time President - Full Time War

Bush and Iraq - One mistake after another

Bush listens to his little Dick (Cheney)

Hell to the Chief

After Clinton we went for the Economy President (You get what you pay for)

Too Informed to Vote Republican

(Big M) Still a Moron

“When Fascism come to America it will be wrapped in a Flag and Carrying a Cross”

Remember Checks and Balances?

Sorry Kids - Bush spent your Social Security on his War

Roses are Red - Violets are Blue Bush is an Idiot - and hasn’t a clue

Dubya World Destruction Tour 2006 Rockin’ and a Shockin’ in Iraq!

(HUMMER LOGO) Soldiers dying in theirs so you can drive YOURS!