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Home > Opinion > Mike Luckovich > Archives > 2007 > October > 12 > Entry

Smear campaigns

By Mike Luckovich | Friday, October 12, 2007, 09:56 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

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Permalink | Comments (330) | Post your comment | Categories: Editorial Cartoon

Comments

By Luckoduh

October 15, 2007 8:03 AM | Link to this

{{{{The Nobel guys as much as admitted they gave the prize to Jimmy Carter in 2002 just to stick a thumb in W’s eye. The prize has become a parody of itself. It should be of interest only to regular readers of the Nation, the New York Times, and other obscure leftist newsletters.}}}}

~~~~~~~

{{{{This Nobel already has some fretting. As Damian Thompson wrote in the Daily Telegraph last week, “The former U.S. Vice-President has already taken over from Michael Moore as the most sanctimonious lardbutt Yank on the planet. Can you imagine what he’ll be like now that the Norwegian Nobel committee has given him the prize?”}}}}

~~~~~~~

{{{{Expiring cuts. Can we expect to see the tax issue revived in the United States? Possibly. The Bush tax cuts are scheduled to expire in 2010, and the estate tax is scheduled to come back in full force in 2011, unless the Congress and president elected in 2008 take action. Democratic presidential candidates are calling for letting the tax cuts on high earners expire, and House Democrats last week beat back a proposal for a permanent repeal of the estate tax. So the issue may be squarely raised: If Democrats win, taxes on some voters (they will say a few, Republicans will say many) will go up. Democrats starting with Bill Clinton have been carrying high-income suburban counties because of their stands on cultural issues. But with those issues less prominent—you haven’t heard presidential candidates of either party talk much about them this year—taxes could go back into the spotlight.}}}}

By Mrs Godzilla

October 15, 2007 8:07 AM | Link to this

Paging Dr. Frist!

Paging Dr. Frist!

Emergency! Emergency!

AND NOW FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF NEOCON HOSPITAL

It’s Terry Shiavo! Oops, wrong kind of brain death.

It’s Michael J. Fox! Oops, wrong kind of Parkinsons.

It’s Rush Limbaugh! Oops, wrong kind of substance abuse.

It’s Anti-war vets! Oops, wrong kind of soldiers.

It’s injured vets! Oops, wrong kind of service.

It’s frozen blastocysts! Oops, wrong kind of use.

It’s GOP pedophiles! Oops, wrong kind of mental disorder.

It’s Graeme Frost! Oops, wrong kind of traumatic injury.

It’s the air, water and food hurting our kids! Oops, wrong kind of environment.

It’s George W. Bush! Oops, wrong kind of President.

THIS HAS BEEN A PRESENTATION OF THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN PARTY.

Draft Gore 08!

By mountain man

October 15, 2007 8:16 AM | Link to this

Mike hits the nail right on the head this time. The Repugs know in their hearts that they’re toast in the upcoming elections and that they have nothing of substance to offer the American people. In desperation they stoop to these smear campaigns to divert attention from the real issues, and in hopes of snaring votes from some of our simple minded.

It seems that you would either have to be simply stupid or have a personality defect to vote Repug in today’s world.

By IN THE NEWS

October 15, 2007 8:16 AM | Link to this

The ‘Good Germans’ Among Us

By Mitchell King

October 15, 2007 8:27 AM | Link to this

Mike, great idea for a cartoon for the AL/GA water war!!! Draw a baby in a full baby pool full of water crying his eyes out and a man with a limp dripping hose with the GA/AL border between them.

By Anonymous

October 15, 2007 8:27 AM | Link to this

I see Andy’s still sucking the juice from those sour grapes over Al Gore being recognized for making POSITIVE contributions to humanity (something he and Bush will never do, or understand).

Good cartoon, as usual. The GOP is spinning so hard they can’t even keep their lies consistent.

By Paul

October 15, 2007 8:37 AM | Link to this

In the News 8:15

Let me see if I understand your post. Many criticized Pres Bush for not doing more before 9/11 to protect the country - nine months into office (I’ve already noted the striking parallels between reaction to Pres Bush/9/11 and Pres Clinton/1993/WTC just after taking office - deaths notwithstanding, it was still an attack on America by Jihadists). So now we find out he was trying to intercept al Qaeda communications before 9/11 and people complain?

I still don’t understand your references to “domestic, warrantless wiretaps” when discussing international calls routed through American-based servers. Perhaps you can enlighten me?

In the News 8:21

Rejects the notion of permanent US bases? Ummmm….. better let Hillary know….

In the News 8:26

But I thought Sen Orrin Hatch, one of the crafters of the SCHIP legislation, was a “wingnut?” Or is “wingnutism” issue-specific?

By IN THE NEWS

October 15, 2007 8:42 AM | Link to this

The Top 10 Conservative Idiots, No. 310

By Cliff Dunaway

October 15, 2007 8:43 AM | Link to this

Cartoon is too small. Much bigger at other sites.

By Cliff Dunaway

October 15, 2007 8:44 AM | Link to this

Cartoon is too small. Much bigger at other sites.

By Rule of Law

October 15, 2007 8:46 AM | Link to this

we aint nebah gonna mit poutta minaq

There is no way, not one single scenario that could possible occur, that would allow us to leave Iraq for the next 1000 years.

We are there. Get used to it. Trillions down a hole in the sand. Iraq was a trap. A trap for a jingoistic godzilla like W to stomp around until he stepped in it. The unlikely event of US troops in Iraq was the missing part of a fool’s game of “lets end the world” that our presidents have been playing since JFK’s cuban near miss.

The only truth in the bible is a truth about man: violence begets violence.

alles sprechen

By Rule of Law

October 15, 2007 9:21 AM | Link to this

Point of order: nobody is going to click on your virus links, moron.

Warning to new readers. Dont get in the habit of clicking on blue lettered links to other websites. They may contain viruses.

It’s your new dell, pal.

By IN THE NEWS

October 15, 2007 9:27 AM | Link to this

{{{HOW MANY REPUBLICANS— EVEN WITH HELP FROM THEIR STOOGES, LIKE LIEBERMAN— DOES IT TAKE TO SCREW IN A LIGHT BULB?

One to deny that the light bulb needs to be changed

One to attack the patriotism of anyone who says the light bulb needs to be changed.

One to blame Clinton for burning out the light bulb.

One to tell the nations of the world that they are either for changing the light bulb or for darkness.

One to give a billion dollar no-bid/cost-plus contract to Halliburton for the new light bulb.

One to arrange a photograph of Bush, dressed as a janitor, standing on a stepladder under the banner: “Light Bulb Change Accomplished.”

One administration insider to resign and write a book documenting in detail how Bush was literally in the dark.

One to viciously smear #7.

One surrogate to campaign on TV and at rallies on how George Bush has had a strong light bulb changing policy all along.

Finally, Joe Lieberman to confuse Americans about the difference between screwing the light bulb and screwing the country.}}}

By Bosch

October 15, 2007 9:33 AM | Link to this

I’m sort of torn on this issue - first of all, I would absolutely NEVER allow my children to be a “face” for any political cause.

Are we so surprised that the Republicans went after this family? Wouldn’t the Democrats do the same?

I read through some of the “news” about this and it’s pretty dispicable, but I’m not surprised that it happened.

In all honesty, I think it is horrible that politicians and pundits feel the need to smear people personally, but they weren’t going after the child himself, their comments were about the parents, but I think they deserve it. If you allow your family to be a “face” for any kind of controversial issue like this, you should expect some kind of scrutiny.

In this particular case, I think it backfired on the Republicans - how can they defend Iraq and deny healthcare to children? I think it would have been in their best interest to just leave this one alone.

However, the issue of SCHIPP programs, I’m all for expanding this program. I know there are abuses, but I think those occur with any system. I would much rather my tax dollar going to help children’s healthcare than this war.

By fatcat

October 15, 2007 9:36 AM | Link to this

Luckovich, can you make “in the news” comments smaller, they’re too big and easy to read. How about like as small as a ant’s poo?

retard. honestly.

By sam

October 15, 2007 9:49 AM | Link to this

when exactly did the Nobel “guys” say they gave carter the peace prize to thumb their nose at bush? did i miss that one…

By Rule of Law

October 15, 2007 10:01 AM | Link to this

There’s nothing for us to say about this Iraq War. Let the Iraqi Parliament say it.

Iraq 4 Iraqis.

By RW-(the original)

October 15, 2007 10:02 AM | Link to this

Bosch,

The Democrats had this 12 year old kid do their weekly national radio address.

Now consider something if you will. In the address Graeme Frost said that he had been covered by the SCHIP program after his accident, but he and others like him would lose their coverage if the Democrat expansion wasn’t signed into law.

Let’s take him at his word and play honest journalist for a second. The Bush plan also expanded the program so my journalist red flag goes off. Why?

Why would he lose coverage if the smaller expansion were enacted? Unfortunately the bulk of the so called main stream media no longer has the journalistic instinct to ask that question.

Now it turns out that the Frost’s own three vehicles, a nice home, a commercial property that they rent, and all their children go to expensive private schools.

Why wouldn’t you expect a journalist to look into these things and why would you call doing that a smear?

By Midori

October 15, 2007 10:12 AM | Link to this

dang!!!

someone really did go through those people’s trash cans.

Michelle Malkin must be completely proud.

By jacksonwolff

October 15, 2007 10:13 AM | Link to this

“Now it turns out that the Frost’s own three vehicles, a nice home, a commercial property that they rent, and all their children go to expensive private schools.”

I don’t know about the vehicles, but the nice home was bought in the 90 for $55,000, they rent the commercial property because the bussiness that the father owned closed, and the kids go to private school on scholarships that were given to them because of their injuries from said accident.

By Truthman

October 15, 2007 10:21 AM | Link to this

Martin Luther King Jr.; Jimmy Carter and now Al Gore.

Democrats: 3 Nobel Peace Prizes.

Republicans: 0 Nobel Peace Prizes (however, they have millions of “Ig-Noble” Prizes).

No surprise there, eh!?! Not when they think nothing of spending a few billion a week for an oil war, but don’t give a SHI* about kids.

Compassionate Conservatives my culo!!

By Paul

October 15, 2007 10:26 AM | Link to this

In The News 10:11

So is your point that a household earning the US median household income should have other taxpayers (even households earning less than the median) pay their medical bills?

By RW-(the original)

October 15, 2007 10:27 AM | Link to this

ITFS, jacksonwolff, parrot, and others,

Regardless of the way the schooling is paid for or the fact that they chose to keep the commercial property and rent it out, how would anybody know any of this until someone looked into it?

By the way, that statement that all four kids were given scholarships because two of them were in an accident probably isn’t true, but if it were this would be taxable income.

By sam

October 15, 2007 10:28 AM | Link to this

dont you people know that when a statement is made contradicting a ‘liberal’ program, it is automatically true….please stop disproving these statements with ‘facts’…it makes us all look bad.

By IN THE NEWS

October 15, 2007 10:30 AM | Link to this

Truthman,

Actually, George C. Marshall (a WWII General, Republican and advisor to Harry Truman and FDR) won the Nobel Peace Prize for the Marshall Plan

By Midori

October 15, 2007 10:32 AM | Link to this

here’s something you can look into

Par for the course, actually.

Trash looking for trash.

By AntiRadical

October 15, 2007 10:33 AM | Link to this

Sadly, the new voice of the Rep party is “I CAN’T DO because…..Dems, Clinton, dog ate homework, it’s raining, it’s not raining, etc”. Now Reps have been reduced to an entirely negative campaign devoid of optimism. They have well and truely lost all understanding of the optimist’s mantra of “I CAN DO because ….”.

Why? When they haven’t made any positive contributions, when everything they have touched has been a dismal failure, and when they have sold their own self-proclaimed principles down the river for no good reason other than support of their tragically flawed incumbent, there is quite simply NOTHING for them to do BUT talk about the other guys.

When you haven’t anything good to say about yourself, all that is left for you to do is talk bad about others! And THAT is the now unmistakeable and unchanging face of the Neo-Republican party!

Reps no longer “Think we CAN”; Reps now only “Think we CAN’T”!

By Truthman

October 15, 2007 10:34 AM | Link to this

George Catlett Marshall, for whom Forces Command HQ bldg. is named, wouldn’t recognize today’s so-called Republicans! Neither would Barry Goldwater or Ike!

Those folks supported the rule of law, small government and civil liberties (and don’t tell me things are different now, they served during the height of the Cold War when the bad guys could actually destroy us with the push of a button).

Marshall was quite the man!!

Thx, ITN!!

By Luckoduh

October 15, 2007 10:36 AM | Link to this

{{{{By sam October 15, 2007 9:49 AM |when exactly did the Nobel “guys” say they gave carter the peace prize to thumb their nose at bush? did i miss that one…}}}}

Maybe you should read something more than just the pinko times, no?

The Norwegian Nobel Committee contrasted Carter’s success in finding peace between Egypt and Israel through diplomacy with President Bush’s vow to oust Saddam Hussein, by force if necessary.

{{{{“It (the award) should be interpreted as a criticism of the line that the current administration has taken,” said Gunnar Berge, the Nobel committee chairman. “It’s a kick in the leg to all that follow the same line as the United States.”}}}}

By Bosch

October 15, 2007 10:39 AM | Link to this

RW, “Why would he lose coverage if the smaller expansion were enacted?”

I don’t know.

“Unfortunately the bulk of the so called main stream media no longer has the journalistic instinct to ask that question.”

Your right. I don’t think the mainstream media has much journalistic instict for anything.

As far as the cars, property, etc., private schools, etc.

I own four cars - all old as crap cars that run and I refuse to buy a new one - that doesn’t make me rich. I used to own a commercial property, that I recently sold just to get off my hands - that property was more trouble than it was worth and I’m glad to be rid of it - it was kind of an inheritance thing that was not worth my time to manage, again, doesn’t make me rich (because I’m not).

There are a vast array of private schools in this country. @@’s school for diabled kids is a private school, so are most of the adolescent treatment centers in this state - they are classified as private schools.

Now, I’m guessing here, but the state probably will pay for some children a “scholarship” if you will for some children to attend these “schools.” I know the state of Tennessee and Georgia will pay for some wards of the state (and Medicaid children) to attend behavioral treatment centers if necessary. These would be considered “scholarships?” Who knows how they classify them.

Maybe disabled children in that state qualify for scholarships to attend a special need school. Again, guessing, I don’t know.

I’m curious as to the nature of this private school and their financial arrangment with the state. Does this school reside in an area with vouchers? I don’t know.

By jacksonwolff

October 15, 2007 10:42 AM | Link to this

“Regardless of the way the schooling is paid for…”

The problem with this statement is that when folks on the right tell it they say is so that people believe the these kids are living it up and their parents are paying BIG BUCKS to send them to private school, and then living off the public teet. The truth is that these kids parents do not pay more than 500.00 per year on these private schools.

SCHIP was designed for the WORKING poor, and I’m sorry, 25,000.00 per year per adult is not much.

By IN THE NEWS

October 15, 2007 10:46 AM | Link to this

More from Zellduh’s post…

{{{{{Although the committee has often used the prize to send a political message, it rarely makes such a direct comment. Other members of the committee distanced themselves from Berge’s statement, calling it his personal view.

“In the committee, we didn’t discuss what sort of interpretation of the grounds there should be. It wasn’t a topic,” committee member Hanna Kvanmo was quoted as telling the Norwegian news agency NTB.

The committee cited Carter’s “vital contribution” to the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt and his efforts in conflict resolution on several continents and the promotion of human rights after his presidency. }}}

By getalife

October 15, 2007 10:46 AM | Link to this

See that little wingnut in the middle with the wild eyes, that my friends, is a moonbat.

Unhinged.

Bat sh-it crazy,

Geez.

By RW-(the original)

October 15, 2007 10:48 AM | Link to this

{{{{{Again, guessing, I don’t know.}}}}}

{{{{{Does this school reside in an area with vouchers? I don’t know.}}}}}

Precisely my point of why somebody needs to ask.

The cars are a Volvo SUV, a GMC Suburban, and a Ford F-250 pickup.

Where do you suppose the environmentalists fall on this, but I digress?

This should really be a case of “why thew hell aren’t the adults in this family working?”, but sadly it’s just another engine on our bullet train to socialism.

By mm

October 15, 2007 10:54 AM | Link to this

Ohio representative is 11th in GOP to announce retirement

This is too good to be true. They cannot even wait until they lose the election. Guilty conscience?

By AntiRadical

October 15, 2007 10:55 AM | Link to this

{{{WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has a sharply higher rate of women dying during or just after pregnancy than European countries, even some relatively poor countries such as Macedonia and Bosnia, according to the first estimates in five years on maternal deaths worldwide.}}}

{{{The report released by various United Nations agencies and the World Bank on Friday shows that Ireland has the lowest rate of deaths, while several African countries have the worst.}}}

{{{The United States has a far higher death rate than the European average, the report shows, with one in 4,800 U.S. women dying from complications of pregnancy or childbirth, the same as Belarus and just slightly better than Serbia’s rate of one in 4,500.}}}

{{{Just one out of 47,600 women in Ireland die during or just after childbirth, the report found. Bosnia had the second-lowest rate, with 1 in 29,000 women dying during pregnancy and childbirth.}}}

If capitalized medical systems yield better overall health as some here have proclaimed, why does America continue to show such poor results, year in and year out?

Maybe people get themselves sick and die just to skew the numbers and malign Reps? LOL

By Midnight Train to Georgia

October 15, 2007 10:56 AM | Link to this

Bullet Train to Socialism???

Choo Choo

Sounds like the Paranoid Express.

How about the Facist Flyer?

By raisedanidiot

October 15, 2007 11:00 AM | Link to this

good morning fellow bloggers…evidently Sen. Craig’s wife didn’t know about his arrest until the story broke…craig says he regrets not telling his wife and family but most of all regrets not telling his counsel…more of those good ol’ repug family values instilled in him i guess…meanwhile, edwards calls hillary on playing politics with the iran militia vote…i think i like edwards more every day…we need someone in the house who isn’t afraid of going against our corrupt two family system…how bout a Gore/Edwards ticket?!

By Midori

October 15, 2007 11:02 AM | Link to this

On the day after Al Gore shared the Nobel Peace Prize, The Wall Street Journal’s editors couldn’t even bring themselves to mention Mr. Gore’s name. Instead, they devoted their editorial to a long list of people they thought deserved the prize more.

And at National Review Online, Iain Murray suggested that the prize should have been shared with “that well-known peace campaigner Osama bin Laden, who implicitly endorsed Gore’s stance.” You see, bin Laden once said something about climate change — therefore, anyone who talks about climate change is a friend of the terrorists.

What is it about Mr. Gore that drives right-wingers insane?

Partly it’s a reaction to what happened in 2000, when the American people chose Mr. Gore but his opponent somehow ended up in the White House. Both the personality cult the right tried to build around President Bush and the often hysterical denigration of Mr. Gore were, I believe, largely motivated by the desire to expunge the stain of illegitimacy from the Bush administration.

And now that Mr. Bush has proved himself utterly the wrong man for the job — to be, in fact, the best president Al Qaeda’s recruiters could have hoped for — the symptoms of Gore derangement syndrome have grown even more extreme.

So if science says that we have a big problem that can’t be solved with tax cuts or bombs — well, the science must be rejected, and the scientists must be slimed. For example, Investor’s Business Daily recently declared that the prominence of James Hansen, the NASA researcher who first made climate change a national issue two decades ago, is actually due to the nefarious schemes of — who else? — George Soros.

Which brings us to the biggest reason the right hates Mr. Gore: in his case the smear campaign has failed. He’s taken everything they could throw at him, and emerged more respected, and more credible, than ever. And it drives them crazy.

By Luckoduh

October 15, 2007 11:03 AM | Link to this

Man, it just keeps getting better:

{{{{Most of the national debate about global warming centers on carbon dioxide, the world’s most abundant greenhouse gas, and its major sources — fossil fuels. Seldom mentioned is that cows and other ruminants, such as sheep and goats, are walking gas factories that take in fodder and put out methane and nitrous oxide, two greenhouse gases that are far more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide. ———>Methane, with 21 times the warming potential of CO2,<——— comes from both ends of a cow, but mostly the front. Frat boys have nothing on bovines, as it’s estimated that a single cow can belch out anywhere from 25 to 130 gallons of methane a day.}}}}

{{{{All told, livestock are responsible for 18% of greenhouse-gas emissions worldwide, according to the U.N. — ——->more than all the planes, trains and automobiles on the planet.<———}}}}

Uh, so what about duh sheep, hahaha?

Or is that “you” sheep?

Duh.

By Bosch

October 15, 2007 11:04 AM | Link to this

RW, Sure it’s okay to ask, but can’t they show a little decorum and wait until they have the answers to these questions before trying to defame this family?

Again, I think the Republicans just really looked bad on this one, most middle class people and below can sympathize with this family, or they know someone in their shoes. It’s just really that simple to me.

Are these parents not working?

For one thing, if you have two children with brain injuries, yes, you work, you work all the time, 24/7, you just don’t get paid for it. Taking care of sick children or an older adult/parent is very much a full time job.

I think it’s kind of sad that you know what kind of cars these people own, but I digress.

By AmVet

October 15, 2007 11:06 AM | Link to this

Good morning all.

Did anyone happen to see Ann Coulter On Donnie Deutsch’s “The Big Idea” show?

Though idolized by the hate mongers on the far right, the woman’s bigotry never ceases to amaze me.

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/articledisplay.jsp?vnucontent_id=1003657196

She said EVERYONE in the country, including Deutsch himself should be Christian. The country would be better off. She goes on to insult mixed-race couples in New York as having a chip on their shoulder.

Huh?

See thinks throwing Judaism away and getting on the “fast track” is the answer!

One can only imagine what she would like to do with Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and atheists!

Donnie ends the segment with a reference to Coulter’s new book, “If Democrats had any brains they’d be Republicans” with the comment, “And if Ann Coulter had any brains she wouldn’t say the Jews need to be perfected”.

Yet she professes that at all of the mega-churches she speaks at, the theme is tolerance.

Hmmmmm?

Deutsch, the imperfect Jew, gets the last comment on this bitter and disturbed woman’s tirade when he closes the show by saying that this country is fed up with this kind of hatred and that it’s time to end it.

I agree, Mr. Deutsch.

If there were a pin up girl for the American Taliban, it would be Ann Coulter.

By Midori

October 15, 2007 11:08 AM | Link to this

Bosch,

you should have seen his comments about the Katrina victims.

He was completely horrified that those poor people were “living it up, for free, cable and all”, at taxpayer expense.

The gall!!! The nerve!!!

That is sadder than sad (and sorry) about the car info.

Again, par for the course.

Garbage digging through garbage.

By Bosch

October 15, 2007 11:08 AM | Link to this

Yes, I did digress a little in my last post.

RW, You asked why these parents aren’t working and my anedote about taking care of children with brain injuries and sick adults is not an appropriate answer.

But, do you know these parents situation? Are they not working? Are they looking for jobs? I mean, you don’t know their situation. OR do you?

If they are just laying around, lazy bums who are totaly complacent of living off welfare, then shame on them, but somehow I don’t think that’s the case.

I don’t know this family or their situation, and don’t feel comfortable answering the question as to why these people are not working.

By RW-(the original)

October 15, 2007 11:14 AM | Link to this

Bosch,

I really don’t care which political party looks bad over the human shield the Democrats are hiding behind and I find it fascinating that you don’t think every single thing this family owns should be a matter of public record.

They have gone to the government and asked the government to take money away from someone else and give it to them. I think when you do this you need to be scrutinized to make sure you really need it.

Now just for kicks explain to me how someone with brain injuries so severe that they need full time care from two parents can go on national radio and deliver the Democrat Party radio address?

By John in Tampa, FLA

October 15, 2007 11:15 AM | Link to this

I flew up to the ATL on Saturday morning and the woman (late thirties as a guess) in front of me was traveling with a retarded boy about 16 years old. She looked mentally and physically drained and I wonder how much the boy contributed to this. Your heart has to go out to people with “special needs” children.

I have no point, just an observation.

By Bosch

October 15, 2007 11:18 AM | Link to this

Midori, Like I said earlier, I think that anyone would have to be insane to allow their child to be the “face” for something so controversial, but I think it’s sad for anyone to try and defame a family when they don’t have all the information.

Yes, if this family was sending their children to elite private schools with $15,000 a year tuition, driving new shiny cars, and living in a mansion, I think this family wouldn’t have been the best choice as an example, but I just don’t get the impression that’s the case.

And in this particular case, I think it backfired on the Republicans - I know several families that are facing the same kind of problems, and they are good hard working folks.

By Luckoduh

October 15, 2007 11:19 AM | Link to this

{{{{By AntiRadical October 15, 2007 10:33 AM When you haven’t anything good to say about yourself, all that is left for you to do is talk bad about others! And THAT is the now unmistakeable and unchanging face of the Neo-Republican party!}}}}

Spammie: Suggestion for you, when you switch back to the AntiRadical moniker maybe you should leave the exclamation points off the end of all your sentences, it wouldn’t be so obvious.

Duh.

~~~~~

{{{{By DHIMMI THE NEWS October 15, 2007 10:46 AM More from Zellduh’s post…Other members of the committee distanced themselves from Berge’s statement, calling it his personal view.}}}}

Uh, there are a lot of retired generals that don’t agree with what Sanchez said, that sure doesn’t seem to matter very much to you goonies, does it?

Duh.

By RW-(the original)

October 15, 2007 11:21 AM | Link to this

Bosch 11:08,

My only problem with that answer is why you don’t care. If we’re to be expected to have the government take money out of our pockets for the sole purpose of giving it to someone else then I believe we have every right to know the exact circumstances of where our money is going.

As a Christian I voluntarily give money on faith that it will go to the needy and in many cases it may not, but it was a voluntary choice on my part.

I expect the government to be held accountable that it truly needs every dollar it confiscates from me.

By AntiRadical

October 15, 2007 11:23 AM | Link to this

Bosch: the far right thinks that there is NEVER any good excuse for not working or needing assistance. It is inconvenient to their world view, and they imagine that if needy people were “good” to begin with, then God would have made them rich.

They have perverted the message of Jesus to conform to their view that the needy are all just bums because God hasn’t already blessed them with wealth and if they then help those in need, then they would be opposing God’s already demonstrated will.

I call this “Neo-Chritianity”!

By AntiRadical

October 15, 2007 11:23 AM | Link to this

Bosch: the far right thinks that there is NEVER any good excuse for not working or needing assistance. It is inconvenient to their world view, and they imagine that if needy people were “good” to begin with, then God would have made them rich.

They have perverted the message of Jesus to conform to their view that the needy are all just bums because God hasn’t already blessed them with wealth and if they then help those in need, then they would be opposing God’s already demonstrated will.

I call this “Neo-Christianity”!

By AmVet

October 15, 2007 11:29 AM | Link to this

Hi John,

Yeah, its sad but probably the American way that so many of us take things, like our health and our children’s health, for granted.

On a related note, I read recently where someone (one of the GOP cadidates maybe?) said that in retrospect “compassionate conservatism” was probably a bad idea.

His take on it was that, and I am paraphrasing slightly here, the GOP spending money helping people via entitlements was not fiscally conservative.

Let’s face it, whatever the reason, whether it is twisted priorities, veiled attempts to bridge the separation between church and state or just plain class warfare, the words compassionate and conservative DO NOT go together.

Well, then again, they might, but certainly compassionate and NEO-conservative don’t…

By Luckoduh

October 15, 2007 11:29 AM | Link to this

Look at this Bozo:

{{{{By AmVet October 15, 2007 11:06 AM Good morning all. Did anyone happen to see Ann Coulter On Donnie Deutsch’s “The Big Idea” show?}}}}

This DimVet spends his whole entire day on a blog insulting other people’s religions, and now has the audacity to call someone else on it.

What a tosser.

By RW-(the original)

October 15, 2007 11:31 AM | Link to this

parrot @ 11:08,

Prove that you freaking liar.

By Bosch

October 15, 2007 11:35 AM | Link to this

RW, That’s why I posted that 11:08 - I got off on a bit of a tangent, but just because they can take the time to appear on a radio talk show, doesn’t mean anything.

Please don’t pretend like the Republicans haven’t used their own human shields for propogandic reasons.

This family does deserve some amount of scrutiny because they have consented to entering the political arena with their issues.

Families in general who ask the government for help DO NOT deserve public scrutiny and defamation. Yes it is necessary for their appropriate agency to insure families who ask for assistance are in compliance - but there are privacy issues as well, and I think that families who are on government assistance do not need to have their private circumstances announced to the public.

There are all kinds of welfare in this country, corporate welfare comes to mind as another type. Be careful what you ask for.

John in Tampa, Great observation.

By AntiRadical

October 15, 2007 11:36 AM | Link to this

LuckoDuhQuixote: Since you see my handle on everything you read, perhaps you should seek professional care!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is swinging swords at windmills part of your delusional mentality as well?

Own up, Andy, Duh, Liberals Suck, etc, etc, etc, etc (LOL), you don’t like the message so you attack the messenger; nothing new there.

I might suggest that you get a new schtick prior to the next election season, though. Your type has wakened the sleeping moderates; Karl Rove mechanics will not save you this time.

By Paul

October 15, 2007 11:36 AM | Link to this

John 11:15

I worked with a young guy, newlywed. His wife taught for a few years while they built a foundation for raising a family.

They now have three sons. One with severe autism. One with moderate autism.

They will have those kids with them until the day they die. It’s just one of those unfortunate breaks life dumps on some people.

I’d be more than happy to see my tax dollars go to provide ongoing assistance for families like that. Just the emotional and physical drain is, to me, incomprehensible.

Just another observation.

By Bosch

October 15, 2007 11:42 AM | Link to this

RW, “If we’re to be expected to have the government take money out of our pockets for the sole purpose of giving it to someone else then I believe we have every right to know the exact circumstances of where our money is going.”

What about the corruption and overspending of Haliburton? Where is our money going in Iraq?

Do you really want to know the circumstances of every family on governement assistance? If so, become a social worker. I think you’d be a great one.

AntiRadical, I totally agree.

By raisedanidiot

October 15, 2007 11:42 AM | Link to this

Antirad…well said!

By AmVet

October 15, 2007 11:46 AM | Link to this

Oh those robber barons in the government! The nerve! How can they expect Americans to actually pay for what they get?

It says right in the neo-con hand book that neo-cons are entitled to all of the privileges and benefits of living in this greatest of countries but that they SHOULD pay nothing in return.

And if that is not possible, just whine about rightful taxation as money that is “confiscated”.

As though actually contributing to the common good of the nation is a penalty.

Ms. Coulter thinks there should be no non-Christians in this country. Maybe the neo-cons think there should be no taxpayers as well!

After all, God is on there side and as long as he gets his share…

By Midori

October 15, 2007 11:47 AM | Link to this

Bosch,

good luck on trying to appeal to these goons’ “softer side” and “logic”, but I fear their brand of compassionate conservatism is limited to their good ole boys who loot the treasury along the lines of Blackwater and Halliburton.

Now if only they would dig their THOSE garbage cans……

By rushncap

October 15, 2007 11:58 AM | Link to this

I have a bone to pick with your whole state: any chance you could at least keep Zell away from everyone else? For some reason he’s speaking on campus today. I’m tempted to go look at that traitor, but my work may prevent me…

By Goldie

October 15, 2007 11:59 AM | Link to this

If you Neo-con trolls are so concerned about tax dollars leaving your pockets, where is your OUTRAGE about the BILLIONS of $$$ that simply “disappeared” in Iraq due to incompetence and cronyism??? And when are you Neo-cons gonna start being fiscally responsible with our tax dollars???

By AmVet

October 15, 2007 12:01 PM | Link to this

Anti radical, your last paragraph at 11:36 was EXACTLY what Deutsch was referring to when he castigated one of the favorite hate mongers of the far right.

This infamous, once banned, blogger you refer to feels he has to hide behind MANY aliases but the writing, and the message, is always unmistakably his.

And over the past few years,thanks to the GOP’s trickle down theory, this is what passes for reasoned discourse.

And though the biggest part of America is just sick of this stuff, you can bet the smear merchants are sure to be gearing up as we speak.

That political party is not quick to learn from their mistakes.

By RB from Gwinnett

October 15, 2007 12:05 PM | Link to this

Personally, I’m sick and tired of being slammed as being anti kids, or mean spirited, or whatever for disagreeing with the expansion of yet another social program. You can’t even discuss the merits of the plans with liberals without the labels flying.

If you people really think socialism is a great way to live, there are quite a few nations you can go live in. Go! People who get up every day, go to work, pay their bills, and have a compassionate heart, but are not naive, are sick of paying for those who are taking advantage of the system. You are not entitled to 3 cars, rental property, a house in a nice neighborhood, and your kids in private school. If you can afford those things, good for you. If you can’t, look in the mirror, but don’t ask the rest of us for a handout. Work for it like the rest of us.

And before you liberals start the smearing, I do have compassion on people in need and would never pass someone by in need or give them a hand. People fall on hard times. That’s NOT what we’re talking about here and you know that. We’re talking about social welfare here. Don’t confuse the 2.

Both political party’s have reduced our democracy to nothing more than vote buying. “Who can give the biggest voting block the most stuff to get their vote.” People are never going to vote themselves out of a free ride. The reality, however, is someone still has to foot the bill. And when working harder no longer gets you ahead, but gets you higher up the “social program contributor” scale, people will stop working harder and make the decision to just join the pigs a the trough. Then who’s going to foot the bill because you can never take away ANY of these programs without being called “mean spirited” or “anti children”? Think, people, think!

By AntiRadical

October 15, 2007 12:12 PM | Link to this

RB- Clinton and the Rep congress eliminated most of the waste in welfare spending during the 90’s. You need to keep up with current events. The “Welfare Wagon” argument is yesterday’s slogan.

Or maybe the Rep congress, didn’t help Clinton after all?

By John in Tampa, FLA

October 15, 2007 12:14 PM | Link to this

Perhaps if we weren’t spending bizillions of $$$$$ on unappreciative Iraqis ( and others worldwide) we could spend that money on appreciative Americans.

By RE

October 15, 2007 12:19 PM | Link to this

I gotta say, I am gettin kinda sick of the spokesperson or figurehead who is above question. I think of it as the “cute and fuzzy attack bunny” Still working on the name.

Both side use it, reme,ber the snowflake kids, all special, all unique…. all white. The message was that if you allowed stem cell research, it would be the same as killing those children. A ridiculous message, no where near the truth.

Or how about General Petraues, build the guy up as a savior, then if you disagree with any part of his testimony or question the policy he is charged with carrying out, as the state department and GAO reports did, then you are attacking the entire military, all troops in harms way, the american flag, the bald eagle, and who knows what else.

The worst is John Edwards wife though, she can make any comment she chooses, and is the teeth in his campaign, but how can you fight back againt her, she has cancer.

For a goof, how about the parties debate the substance of a policy instead of using cheap theatrics and sympathetic stand ins.

By Beltway Bandit

October 15, 2007 12:29 PM | Link to this

The President’s SHIP Plan

Congress creates the laws The President signs/executes the laws The Courts validate the laws

When the Republican’s were the majority party in Congress the President told them the laws that he wanted and they gave them to him. (Paid for them with earmarks.)

Now the Democrats are the majority party in Congress. The President tries to tell them what laws he wants and they, being reasonable people, are willing to consult. But the President’s street only goes one way. Give it all or it will be vetoed.

The Democrats in Congress wanted to increase SHIP spending a lot, the President only a little. The Democrats wrote the SHIP law and sent it to the President for signature. No signature. Vetoed.

The President’s SCHIP plan is not worth spit because the Democrats did not cave on this one. The President’s SCHIP plan is meaningless. Congress writes the laws.

SO STOP TALKING ABOUT THE PRESIDENT’S SCHIP PLAN. WITHOUT A COMPLIANT CONGRESS IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

By Bosch

October 15, 2007 12:51 PM | Link to this

Well it appears one of my posts was dropped, so I’ll try again.

RB in Gwinnett, I get really tired of comments such as “If you people really think socialism is a great way to live, there are quite a few nations you can go live in. Go!”

I love my country and refuse to leave so our Constitution can continue to be raped by the current administration. There are also plenty of other country’s who live under fascist regimes - why don’t you leave?

Also, “You can’t even discuss the merits of the plans with liberals without the labels flying.”

Would you care to debate the topic or just make asinine assumptions?

Rushncap, On behalf of all those embarrassed by Zell Miller, I am sorry. You Tar Hills better get your dueling guns ready!

By mm

October 15, 2007 12:59 PM | Link to this

Wingnuts,

I’m sick of hearing about how you are so concerned about where your tax dollars are going, but you continue to blindly support the p*ssing away of a trillion dollars in a country where we will have no payback. Zero. Zilch.

Not to mention the countless bloated spending bills the GOP passed and Bush approved.

Now he wants to look fiscally responsible? What a joke. And you supporters are the punchline.

By RB from Gwinnett

October 15, 2007 1:00 PM | Link to this

Personally, I’m sick and tired of being slammed as being anti kids, or mean spirited, or whatever for disagreeing with the expansion of yet another social program. You can’t even discuss the merits of the plans with liberals without the labels flying.

If you people really think socialism is a great way to live, there are quite a few nations you can go live in. Go! People who get up every day, go to work, pay their bills, and have a compassionate heart, but are not naive, are sick of paying for those who are taking advantage of the system. You are not entitled to 3 cars, rental property, a house in a nice neighborhood, and your kids in private school. If you can afford those things, good for you. If you can’t, look in the mirror, but don’t ask the rest of us for a handout. Work for it like the rest of us.

And before you liberals start the smearing, I do have compassion on people in need and would never pass someone by in need or give them a hand. People fall on hard times. That’s NOT what we’re talking about here and you know that. We’re talking about social welfare here. Don’t confuse the 2.

Both political party’s have reduced our democracy to nothing more than vote buying. “Who can give the biggest voting block the most stuff to get their vote.” People are never going to vote themselves out of a free ride. The reality, however, is someone still has to foot the bill. And when working harder no longer gets you ahead, but gets you higher up the “social program contributor” scale, people will stop working harder and make the decision to just join the pigs a the trough. Then who’s going to foot the bill because you can never take away ANY of these programs without being called “mean spirited” or “anti children”? Think, people, think!

By RW-(the original)

October 15, 2007 1:06 PM | Link to this

Bosch @ 11:35,

The family doesn’t deserve the scrutiny because they entered the political arena, they deserve scrutiny because they asked the government to take money away from someone that earned it and hand it over to them.

There should ZERO privacy for any family taking government handouts and furthermore if it were up to me they would lose the privilege of voting ubtil they were self sufficient.

Bosch 11:42,

Yes. ALL government spending should be very highly scrutinized.

Just an aside in case I seem a little more edgy than usual, I’m doing my 2006 taxes today.

Anti-Radical,

You’re insane if you think most of the welfare fraud in this country was cleaned up in the 1990’s. It may have moved under a different shell, but it’s still a shell game.

rushncap,

Did you happen to catch this guy on campus?

Dr William Gray, a pioneer in the science of seasonal hurricane forecasts, told a packed lecture hall at the University of North Carolina that humans were not responsible for the warming of the earth.

By Luckoduh

October 15, 2007 1:07 PM | Link to this

Ain’t it the truth that no matter how much things change, they always stay the same?:

{{{{ As if Abraham Lincoln didn’t have enough distractions while pursuing a war to restore the Union, he also had to worry about what he called “the fire in the rear.” He was speaking metaphorically. The fire was actually a group of Northern Democrats known as Copperheads. They opposed the Civil War, sympathized with the Southern secessionists, were mostly racists themselves, loathed Lincoln, blamed him and not the Southerners for starting the bloody fight.}}}}

{{{{“The second phase,” Weber writes, “began with the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation in September 1862, and extended into the following spring, when the Union adopted a draft.” Racist Northern Democrats—there were many—who had backed the war to maintain the Union joined the opposition when the war became an effort to free the slaves.}}}}

{{{{The third phase came with the horrendous losses suffered by the Union army in 1864. Not only had Grant’s army stalled, it lost 60,000 troops in a single six-week period. Antiwar sentiment reached its height and “thousands of Northerners were clamoring for peace. The Copperheads, with their antiwar stance and harsh criticisms of the president, offered an appealing alternative to Lincoln’s stubborn determination to stay the course.”}}}}

You idiot democrats have always been on the wrong side of history.

Always.

By RW-(the original)

October 15, 2007 1:10 PM | Link to this

(m)ental (m)idget,

Could you please direct me to a link where I can look at the Democrat Party bills that rollback the Republican spending bills? Thank you in advance!

By RB from Gwinnett

October 15, 2007 1:16 PM | Link to this

Lets debate, Bosch. Please start by telling me all the merits of socializm.

When you’re done with that, please tell me specifically how this administration has raped the constitution. Don’t give me the “moveon.org” talking points either. Give me facts backed by the constitution itself. While you’re in there, please find the section that guarantees a person’s right to healthcare paid for by others.

And after that, I’d like to know at what income level a person should be expected to take care of themselves.

I’ll await your reply.

By rushncap

October 15, 2007 1:16 PM | Link to this

No, RW, I did not catch him. In fact I did not even hear about him coming. I would have been interested in hearing what he has to say. Unlike you I care about truth and am very interested in learning opinions of anyone who is qualified to have an opinion worth spending my time on. Dr. Gray certainly fits that bill. Does not mean I would agree with his assessment, but he is worth listening to. Would you dare extend the same courtesy to someone who you disagree with? My money’s on “are you KIDDING?!”.

By Jill Benson

October 15, 2007 1:17 PM | Link to this

Luckoduh is making all that up about the copperheads. Lincoln knew that he had won the war. Everyone knew it. Evey the copperheads, who were actually a phony protest group set up by war suppliers who were bilking the government of millions of dollars with substandard supplies. The copperheads knew that more newspapers would sell if they kept hawking about peace and southern rights and it served as the perfect cover for their piracy.

When Grant was elected prez, these same pirates bilked the USA out of more millions in the most corrupt administration in USA history…. Until Cheney came along, and now Cheney has that distinction.

alles sprechen