Just a little late night humor with a pretty darn good suggestion:

H/T Montag for the video and some other Haiti charity links below the fold.

GOP Talking Heads continue to drivel and drone onward, proving that nothing will dent their hardened empty shells as they march relentless along the road of hatefilled diatribe.

In the video above, Keith Olbermann takes both Limbaugh and Robertson to task for their recent comments regarding the disaster in Haiti.

In the video below, Rachel Maddow shows the reaction of Haiti's ambassador as he slams Robertson for his comments.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

This is an Open Thread.

Wow!  A couple of days ago, I asked the rhetorical question "...What's next, wholesale body bags?" to address the wave of terroristic violence that has overtaken the country since the last election.  In our society of mega-extreme-new-improved-more-bigger-better-faster-now provocation to consume, my fear is that there's only one direction that wave can go. Bigger.

Frank Schaeffer inspired my article and StopDomesticTerror.com because, as he says today on HuffintonPost,

I started pondering the question of what we could do right after the assassination of Dr. Tiller by a religious extremist. I felt that it wasn't enough to call for boycotts of right wing commentators who spew their hate, because that did not really address the core problems.

In fact as a former right wing religious "pro-life" leader I felt compelled to publicly apologize (in the Huffington Post) for the "America-is-like-Nazi-Germany" rhetoric that my late Evangelical leader father and I helped create in the 1970s and 80s that inexorably led to justifying violence in the Tiller case.

Promoted by GH. Originally posted 2009-06-15 14:04:50 -0400.

Joseph Goebbels was Adolf Hitler's propaganda minister from 1933 to 1945. In that position, he perfected an understanding of the "Big Lie" technique of propaganda, which is based on the principle that a lie, if audacious enough and repeated enough times, will be believed by the masses.

Goebbels used modern propaganda techniques to psychologically prepare the German people for aggressive war and the annihilation of civilian populations. Among other propaganda devices, he accused many of Germany's ethnic and national minorities (such as the Poles, the Jews, the French) of trying to destroy Germany.

Is there really any significant difference between the propaganda of Joseph Goebbels in the 30s and 40s, and the propaganda of people like Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh?

Posted without further comment.

This is an Open Thread.

BENEATH THE SPIN • ERIC L. WATTREE

Wattree's blog |  Login or register to post comments |  Tags: America, Bush, cheney, Colin Powell, Demagogues, GOP, Hypocrites, Ideals, Republicans, Rush Limbaugh, Scooter Libby, Torture

Carrie Prejean: Are Progressives Becoming as Intolerant as Conservatives?

Thu, 05/07/2009 - 16:30 |  Wattree

Promoted. Originally posted 2009-05-07 13:44:37 -0500. -- GH

BENEATH THE SPIN • ERIC L. WATTREE

Carrie Prejean: Are Progressives Becoming as Intolerant as Conservatives?

I've always been proud to consider myself a progressive, because being a progressive meant that I was open-minded, willing to assess every issue on its own merit, and I'm tolerant of varying points of view. But it seems that many of today's "progressives" have corrupted the term. Though many of these people call themselves progressives, they are not progressive thinkers–they are progressive in name only. Over the years they seem to have somehow lost their way, and as a result, have managed to redefined the term "progressive" to simply mean, not conservative.

A case in point is the unconscionable way in which the so-called progressive community has demonized Carrie Prejean after she indicated, almost apologetically during the Miss America Pageant, that she thought marriage should be between a man and a woman. Why in the world did she say that?!! Thereafter, she was called a bitch, seminude photos of her have been posted on the Internet, and she's been generally, dragged through the mud. It is unbelievable that people who call themselves progressive could do that to that young woman.

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Wattree's blog |  13 comments |  Tags: Barack Obama, Carrie Prejean, conservatism, discrimination, Dogma, fanatic, Feminism, GOP, intolerance, Miss California, Perez Hilton, progressives, Rush Limbaugh, Same-sex, stupidity, wingnuts

GOP Underestimates Conservative America

Sat, 04/11/2009 - 07:59 |  Wattree

 

Promoted. Originally posted 2009-04-10 18:28:19 -0500. -- GH

 

BENEATH THE SPIN • ERIC L. WATTREE

 

GOP Underestimates Conservative America

While President Obama is going about his valiant and statesman-like attempt to rescue America and restore our image at home and abroad, the GOP politics as usual, diehard operatives are acting like spoiled brats determined to undermine the president–and America's–effort. But in their blind attempt to regain power they seem to have forgotten one important fact–the vast majority of true conservatives are fiercely loyal Americans, and don't share their view of power at any cost.

While "true conservatives" have a vastly different view from "true liberals" regarding the policies that make America great, the two groups have one very important thing in common–both groups understand that even as we indulge in our sibling rivalry, we are all Americans--family–which means the viability of our nation and proud American traditions must come first.

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Wattree's blog |  4 comments |  Tags: America, Barack Obama, conservatives, Demagogues, GOP, Marines, Patriots, president, Rush Limbaugh

How Loyal is the Loyal Opposition?

Fri, 03/20/2009 - 09:29 |  Wattree

Originally posted 2009-03-19 12:57:22 -0500. Bumped by carol

BENEATH THE SPIN ERIC L. WATTREE

From this point on I pledge to stop using the terms "conservative" and "Republican" interchangeably. I'm beginning to realize there's a big difference between the two. Conservatives are loyal and well-meaning Americans of good faith who just happen not to share my opinion of what's in the best interest of America. On the other hand, it has become clear that the Republican Party has crossed the line between the loyal opposition, and subversion.

Am I indulging in radical hyperbole? I don't think so. The American Heritage Dictionary defines subversive as "Intended or serving to subvert, especially intended to overthrow or undermine an established government" (emphasis added).

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Wattree's blog |  2 comments |  Tags: American, Anarchists, Bobby Jindal, C.L. Otter, corruption, Demagagouge, GOP, Loyal, Mark Snnford, Mitch McConnel, Pork Barrel, President Obama, Republican, Rick Perry, Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, South C, Spending, Statesman, Subversive, Texas, Tom Delay

These are the People that Limbaugh and the GOP Represent

Mon, 03/09/2009 - 16:46 |  Wattree

Originally posted 2009-03-07 18:17:27 -0500. Bumped by carol. I thought it would be a good way to start the week. The video posted here has been apparently been withdrawn from the public domain. It is however available  at Crooks and Liars. Strange!

 

 

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BENEATH THE SPIN • ERIC L. WATTREE

Sorry Mr. President, but We’ve Turned too Many Pages Already.

President Obama has suggested that we “turn the page” on Republican misdeeds and move the nation forward. The president is a good natured sort, but there is such a thing as being forgiving to a fault, and I think we’ve long since reached that point with the Republican Party. The GOP reminds me of a woman who's been caught committing adultery, then when her husband confronts her with it the next morning, she becomes incensed tells him that he's going to destroy their marriage if he doesn't learn to stop dwelling in the past.

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Wattree's blog |  12 comments |  Tags: Beneath the Spin, GOP, Republicans, Rush Limbaugh

The Faces of Failure

Sat, 03/07/2009 - 12:29 |  GreyHawk

Pulled this from comments in the Open Thread, presented by jimstaro.

It seems to say it all, doesn't it?

For more failure, check out this entry by ConnecticutMan1: 

Republicans are Failing their Consituents

And here's a tell-tale video:

Hat-tip SaraBeth.

"What sluggards, what cowards have I brought up in my court, who care nothing for their allegiance to their lord. Who will rid me of this meddlesome priest?"

        -- The Murder of Thomas Becket, 1170,
            Eyewitness to History.com

It's begun. The wackos have all begun to unwind and step out from behind their stately faux patriotism with their lunatic friends, fomenting rebellion and attempting to instigate violence. It's an insidious fifth column of propaganda and divisiveness, delivered through auspices of free speech yet fooling few in the rank desperation of their calls to incitement.

Attempts to twang racial, social and emotional strings are coming faster, more frequently. From the "That one!" of the campaign, to the NY Post's inappropriate fiscal chimp cartoon and their subsequently foot-in-mouth That Cartoon ham-handed apology, to the rantings of Rush Limbaugh and now Alan Keyes, the nation is under assault. Specifically, it is an assault directed against a President tasked to clean up after a corrupted, incompetent and criminally negligent predecessor and the former majority party that helped foster the disaster that has gone before.

From the Countdown with Keith Olbermann site:

Here's an excerpt (hat-tip noweasels from DailyKos):

"Obama is a radical communist and I think it is becoming clear. That is what I told people in Illinois and now everybody realizes it is coming true. He is going to destroy this country and we are either going to stop him or the United States of America is going to cease to exist."
          -- Alan Keyes

Our nation is in dire straits, on the brink of the worst economic disaster in decades and embroiled in global controversies spanning issues of health, humanity, security and environment -- and these unevolved cretins go on the attack against the primary people and methods that we have at our disposal for dealing with it. A mess that these same fools and liars -- disingenuous, arrogant hypocrites, all -- either directly contributed to or actively opposed efforts to mitigate.

It is completely unconscionable how far the Republican leadership has strayed from anything resembling responsible governance. While they thrive on their claim of patriotism, their petulant obstructionism during one of the most serious financial crises in American history betrays a total disregard for this nation, and an absolute disdain for the American people. Their childish behavior is nothing short of political malfeasance.

One of the Republican Party's most enduring talking points is that the Bush administration has kept America safe since 9-11, but what evidence do we have of that?  Even as the Bush administration bragged about their security efforts, they left both our front and back doors wide open. The two primary entry points into the United States are all but short of a welcome sign.