Sour Grapes Legislation

Several months before the 2010 mid-term elections, when it was already obvious the Democrats would get a shellacking, Sobbin’ Hood announced that he didn’t want Congress to pass any “sour grapes legislation” during their lame duck session.

Tough shit, Weepy.

Don’t Ask Don’t Tell got repealed.

The New START agreement finally got ratified by the Senate.

Congress has finally passed the aid package for 9/11 First Responders (yes, it was a watered-down version).

We’ve got a new expanded food safety bill.

Unemployment benefits have finally been extended (yes, coupled with billionaires’ tax cuts).

And after at least five years of wrangling, we’ve actually got a net neutrality law, watered down as it is. (I know, that was the FCC and not Congress, but still…)

These are some proud achievements from a group of Democrats who’ve spent the past year and a half getting bullied, stymied and shat on by Republicans.

The next two years will be full of gridlock and mutual hatred like we’ve never seen. But for now — You Go 111th Congress.

Jon Stewart and Republican Hypocrisy over 9/11 First Responders

It isn’t exactly a newsflash that the GOP is a bunch of two-faced motherfuckers. Tax loopholes for hedge fund managers are more important than unemployment insurance for people who’ve lost their jobs during the worst downturn in seventy years. War is good, as long as I don’t have to do any of the fighting myself.

And remember: if anyone criticizes or even questions the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, scream “9/11” at the top of your lungs. And what about the 9/11 First Responders who are sick or disabled? Fuck ‘em! They were last year’s prop. We don’t need ‘em any more. Run along now.

Here are links to three recent Daily Show segments. Even by Jon Stewart standards, he tears conservatives a new one.

This article has two Jon Stewart videos; and the third one is found here.

I hope you’ll check out the three videos when you get a chance. You’ll laugh while pounding your fist on the keyboard.

GOP to 9/11 First Responders: “Fuck You! DIE!!!!”

It’s time for the GOP to go over their to-do list and make sure there isn’t ANYBODY out there that Republicans HAVEN’T shat on yet. Let’s see: low income people, the unemployed, small businesses, minorities, gays, non-Christians, people who’ve been dumped by their HMOs, people losing their homes — Check.

What about the first responders who risked their lives on September 11th, 2001 — Check.

The House has defeated a bill that would have provided up to $7.4 billion in aid — over a ten-year period — to people who have become ill from the smoke, dust and debris from the 9/11 attacks. OK, so that’s a lot of money; we probably spent that much in Iraq and Afghanistan while you were reading this sentence.

The 9/11 victims are kind of like soldiers: Conservatives don’t give a flying fuck about either of them, but they make excellent grist for soundbites and talking points. “Support the troops!” “9/11!” “You’re undermining the war effort!” “9/11!” “You can’t be against the war AND support the troops!” And don’t forget:

9/11

And then when soldiers and 9/11 workers become sick or disabled, rightwing bumpersticker patriotism morphs into “We don’t need you any more. Run along now. Fuck off.”

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) chewed ‘em a new one. Check out the video.

Alan Grayson, Anthony Weiner — this is the kind of Democrats we need. And unlike talk radio and Fox News, these guys not only pack a punch; they can also string together complete sentences with big two-syllable words and everything.