OOPS! Redstate Backpedals After Blaming Muslims for Oslo Attack

Erick Erickson is an ass. (Which was the exact title of a post I wrote two years ago.) Right now he's bragging that GOP Senators, Congresspeople, and staff are calling him asking his advice on what to do with the debt ceiling. (Assuming that's true, I've got some advice...how about working for your damn constituents and not letting right-wing nutballs set your policy agenda.)

But dumbass had to do some serious backpedaling with an idiotic explanation of why he IMMEDIATELY jumped to the conclusion that it was obviously a Muslim conducting the terror attack while the terror was was ongoing without any evidence whatsoever. But, as Erick, son of Erick, had to admit:

Turns out, the now captured shooter, who I think we can probably say is connected to the bombing, lists himself as a conservative Christian on a Facebook page.

OOPS! Turns out this "Islamic" terrorist would have been a disciple of Cheryl Sullenger if he was in the states.

But instead of admitting to talking out of his ass, he goes on the defensive:

First, those of us on the right who point out the now fairly common ties between terrorists and Islam do so largely because the secular left has become willfully naive....
With Christians, it is rather rare to see a self-described Christian engage in heinous terrorist acts.

He does this, mind you, AFTER talking about Eric Rudolph and Timothy McVeigh. But those, he says aren't real Christians. But the shooter at Ft Hood, THAT was a real Muslim, I guess.

Right-wing religious terrorists exist... the Klan considers itself a very Christian organization, whereas we all see it as a right-wing terrorist organization. They join all of those hateful white supremacist groups and militias whose members suddenly have found acceptance within the Tea Party ranks.

The abortion terrorists, our own American Taliban, are not just "self-described" Christians, but downright militant fanatics who don't think anything of gunning down abortion providers, blowing up clinics with IEDs, or just harassing and threatening anyone associated with the clinics.

Then Erick Erick goes Batshit Beckian crazy:

Secular leftists and Islamists are both of this world. Christians may be traveling through, but we are most definitely not of the world. In fact, Christ commands us to throw off our ties to this world. But the things of this world love this world and hate the things of God. That’s why secular leftism can embrace both activist homosexuals and activist muslims when the latter would, when true to their faith, be happy to kill the former.

Getting a glimpse of the warped brain of a right-wing zealot...they admit to hating this world which is why they are so intent on doing things to destroy it. (No wonder we have a hard time "negotiating" with that mindset.)

So in a nutshell... Christians are excused when they kill because they aren't really Christians, Muslims who kill are real Muslims, and somehow "activist" gays are to blame for this tragedy as well.

The left has intellectuals like Maddow, but we just don't have anyone on our side that is filled with this sort of vile. Glenn Beck, Ann Coulter, and the rest of their ilk have so much hate for others and find fault with everyone who is different than they are. They need to be treated, but in today's GOP, they are called the movement's "leaders". These are the people they call up for guidance.

People like Erick Erickson.

Mitt Romney: "Rick Scott is a great man, a great leader!"

On the national level, defeating Romney is all about pointing to how he made his fortune: by bankrupting profitable businesses, literally destroying thousands of jobs, and outsourcing the rest overseas. Then there's his miserable record as governor, which had one of the worst job creation records in the country. Not to mention his flip-flops on every issue... and that little bit of hypocricy called Romneycare.

But state by state is how the GOP fights, and that's what we need to do. So here is how it will go down in the Sunshine state...

First of all, let me be clear. Romney will be the nominee. Period. Spare me any talk about the new GOP or the tea party or any of that crap. I am terrible at picking the Democratic nominees (I was sure it would be Clinton in ‘08 just as I was sure it wouldn’t be in ’92), but when it comes to the GOP, my track record is 100% because I know the truth: the establishment always wins. It was Dole’s turn in ’96, although there were stronger players. No doubt it was W for ’00, although like Bob Dole, McCain put up a good fight and unquestionably supported the establishment choice…. thus putting himself in the que for the 2008 election. The pattern continues, and it’s Romney’s turn. The GOP establishment will not allow Bachmann or Palin to be the nominee and there is nothing, NOTHING, the useful idiots can do to stop that.

So we focus on Romney.

A visual of the plan looks something like this.

If there is one thing Floridians hate, its their devious, criminal, teabag governor.
He is now at 29% approval, the worst of any modern governor in any poll with the exception of Rod Blagojevich… and you know, he wasn’t that far behind with 18%.

Scott is so far in the dumps that he is trying to remake his image with pre-written Letters to the Editor and unsolicited, nonstop robocalls to every Floridian saying we got it wrong and he is actually awesome. (Everyone loves robocalls--Genius!)

Last November, Scott sank Sink by tying her to Obama. Repeatedly. Countless ads showing Sink saying nice things about Obama. Obama was nowhere on the ballot, but he was everywhere. This election cycle, we need to return the favor…

Rick Scott is a great man, a great leader…
-Mitt Romney

Rick Scott was strongly endorsed by Mitt Romney last year. They shared the stage in Florida’s conservative capital—the stepford-wives creepy “the Villages”.

At the Villages, Mitt Romney touted Rick Scott’s business experience… even though he knew about his documented criminal past.

He didn’t have to do this. He didn't have to endorse him. He could have stood on principle, if he had any. No other presidential hopeful bothered to stand with Rick Scott.

In fact, many conservative pundits and GOP politicians denounced Rick Scott. The VERY same day that Mitt Romney stood on stage with Rick Scott, Fox News darling Dick Morris gave an interview with WDBO where he had this to say:

"I think Rick Scott is a criminal who belongs in jail not in the governor's office."

Morris went on to say that he'd vote for the Democrat Alex Sink.

"She's a terrible candidate... her opponent is a criminal," he said.

But after the election, you'd think Mitt would have had the good sense to shut up. But it was Mitt who supported Scott sending the massive job-creating, 2.4 billion rail project to another state:

I read the governor's decision. He was concerned that the rail project would be a longterm sinkhole...--Mitt Romney

Right… which explains why Scott rejected a fully-funded project but supports spending $77 million of state money on an actual sinkhole. And didn't you go after try to spend hundreds of millions on rail in MA, Mitt?

Romney was also supportive of Rick Scott’s job-killing budget. I'm no youtube guru, but this writes itself: quotes from Romney praising Rick Scott to the moon... pictures of them arm-in-arm... Rick Scott calling funds for needy people, seniors, veterans, and disabled kids “frivolous and wasteful spending”. For added measure, show the salaries of his staff that he greatly increased and his new digs that he could afford after doubling his office budget to $638 million.

1 minute video... priceless.

Finally, in a state full of geriatrics, Romney and Scott are tied together by mutual admiration of a man who is toxic in this state. The guy who supports ending Medicare as we know it... Paul Ryan:

He is setting the right tone for finally getting spending and entitlements under control. Anyone who has read my book knows that we are on the same page.
--Mitt Romney

And Paul Ryan LOVES him some Rick Scott.

Mitt is going to try everything to distance himself from Scott... LET US NOT LET HIM.

Fortunately, Rick Scott won't let him either. Last month, Rick Scott decided to piss on Romney by doing the worst thing possible to him: endorsing him for president.

Romney—Scott, Scott—Romney.

Rick Scott has already proved that his endorsements are cursed. The Democratic party won VERY surprising victories in both the Tampa and Jacksonville mayor’s races this spring after Rick Scott came out for them.

Sitting governors in this state are absolutely a factor in national elections. The tea party minions came out in droves for the right-wing Rubio even thought the Florida GOP was solid (initially) behind Charlie Crist because of thier anti-Obama fervor. The popularity of Jeb was also a major factor for people supporting his brother's candidacy here in 2000. (Sorry about that, by the way.)


Thanks to Gov. Voldemort, he has managed to energize a Democratic-base completely demoralized for years. I am also seeing an awakening in the state's long suffering and inept Democratic party. They have their work cut out for them... the state offices are strongly GOP, the rethuglicans have a ton more money, and they just made voting for Democrats A LOT more difficult. But if the Florida Dems can hang Rick Scott around Romney's neck, then it's game over for Mittens.

GOP goes to the mat... for tax subsidies for BIG OIL

Last December, President Obama caved in to the Republicans who demanded extra tax cuts for the wealthy in exchange for an extension on unemployment benefits. Now the GOP is balking at paying for these cuts by refusing to raise the debt ceiling.

You should also be offended that we are talking about cutting Medicaid and Social Security, which we paid into, but the GOP refuses to even consider closing tax loopholes on corporate-jet owners or getting rid of taxpayer subsidies on big oil companies.

By the way, the corporate jet loophole would only mean depreciating the stupid jets at 5 years instead of 7. Yeah, that will really cost a lot of jobs somehow.

Then there's that stupid hedge fund loophole that only benefits a few on Wall Street but costs us hundreds of billions...nah, better to cut off Grandma's water bill.

That is what they are going to the mat for folks. This is the GOP's line in the sand... NO sacrifice for any rich-folk and taxpayer money being GIVEN to those who need it least.

That is the line in the sand. Please consider that fact next November.

Fox News: Casey Verdict Makes Sense

For those of you who know me on the site, I do a series called "my stupid state" chronicling the sheer madness that lives here. We have a lot of trouble with voting, we like to elect criminals, and after today, we can add "let child killers go free" to the list.

There were piles of evidence that she was involved in the death... the search engine, the duct tape, the laundry bag, the other items from her house found at the scene. Her ridiculous excuse that she drowned... (Why the hell would you duct tape her mouth!?!?) Her nonstop lying to the police. The contempt she showed her daughter before her disappearance and the sickening celebratory behavior after Caylee was killed.

No other "news" organization is justifying or condemning the verdict... but reporting the facts. But Fox decided to put this on the FRONT PAGE of their website:

Why Casey Anthony's Verdict Makes Sense by Dr. Keith Ablow


"Dr. Keith Ablow" focused entirely on her behavior after the killing. He said it "makes good sense" because certain people party after a trauma... especially someone like Casey who was "raped as a child" (although he admits this is something Casey just accused her father of). He tries to explain behavior in this ridiculous article that he admits may never have happened. It truly is indicative of a Fox News Story.

I was furious, but then I remembered that name. Where have I heard Dr. Keith Ablow before?

OH YEAH, this guy! Glenn Beck's minion:


Fox News Contributor Dr. Keith Ablow Attacks Barack & Michelle Obama’s Patriotism

October 2010

Fox News favorite psychiatrist, Dr. Keith Ablow, who is a Republican and who was last seen on Fox’s Megyn Kelly show where he deplored the creeping nanny state that monitors the body mass of American school children. He also provides validation for Glenn Beck as shown by his response to Beck’s contention that Obama has a problem with race. Ablow, being his objective medical self, said that “The president needs to look at himself and say, ‘Do I have prejudice that I wasn’t even aware of, perhaps, towards white people?” So surprise, surprise, this morning we have a Fox News “opinion” column which says that America is “in denial” about Obama because they just can’t deal with Obama’s questionable loyalty to America. Ablow burnishes his “creds” by invoking his experience as a doctor in order to do a “virtual” psychological evaluation on the feelings of Americans towards their president. How’s that for some nice, slick agitprop?

This there was this. Jon Stewart had fun with this one:

Fox News Pundit Responds To J. Crew Pink Nail Polish Controversy By Ignoring Facts, Spewing Misinformation

April 2011

The most offensive opinion piece published on a nationally recognized journalism outlet appeared on Fox News' website.

Dr. Keith Ablow, a television psychiatrist and Glenn Beck associate, penned the story. (He also recently co-authored a book called The 7, a combination of Beck memoir and Ablow's self-help techniques.)

...

He then sinks into a deep non sequitur:

"And while that may seem like no big deal, it will be a very big deal if it turns out that neither gender is very comfortable anymore nurturing children above all else..."

Dr. Ablow, what does raising children have to do with wearing nail polish? The logical fallacy of grouping these things together allows you to ignore the real issue, and instead highlight the conservative 's political call to "save the American family," whatever that means. It's like the Westboro Baptist Church rhetoric, just without the offensive words.

"...and neither gender is motivated to rank creating a family above having great sex forever..."

Again, what does pink nail polish have to do with having great sex all the time? As if you can't have both?

The close association on Dr. Ablow's part between gender identity and sexual activity is completely uninformed. For an average heterosexual American, unfamiliar with the plethora of alternatives in society, this error is a understandable. But Dr. Ablow is a psychiatrist. He is using this factual error to spread misinformation and, yes, hate.

It's nice to see Glenn Beck's people will continue to infect Fox News long after he has left.