Charleston

After the horrendous attack of terrorism on the AME Church in Charleston, S. Carolina,a variety of issues have arisen.

• Labeling the white gunman a thug or terrorist. Something as inflammatory as how people of color – specifically, blacks –

Yeah, Do We Need to Protect Men, Too?

‘Cuz ya know, there is that 4-hour warning signal.

Senator Nina Hall (D-Cleveland) put out a call for co-sponsors to a proposed bill (SB-37) with this initiating paragraph:

I will be introducing a bill to address an issue that has gone unaddressed for far too long. The diligence with which men in state legislatures across the nation have considered the fragile health and feeble minds of women has prompted me to reflect on the welfare of the more powerful breed: men.

Via Karoli at Crooks & Liars who has the low-down.

Thus, Senate Bill 307 protects men by requiring the following prior to receiving a prescription to treatment for erectile dysfunction:

• a signed affadavit from at least one sex partner confirming the man has indeed experienced the symptoms of impotence in the past 90 days
• a psychological screening to ensure the condition is, in fact, medical in nature
• ongoing cardiac stress tests and outpatient counseling about potential side effects
• information from the prescribing physician about risks, complications as well as non-medical options including counseling and celibacy
• copy of medical rationale for treatment filed in patient’s medical record

She’s serious.

 

Backyard Big Love!

Wow!  And to think I almost missed this.  Thanks to Sisyphus at 43rd State Blues (Facebook), I didn’t.

“The only good thing that comes from this is that we have got a man that is a manipulator and a brainwasher and a user of people that is being exposed,” said Reiman.

Reiman said his daughter Jana met Superintendent Cook two years ago. Their platonic relationship became more and in a letter he shared from his daughter, it explains the details of a marriage ceremony between Jana and Cook.

Superintendent John Cook of Horseshoe Bend School District was outed as a polygamist.  Right here in River City – close enough….

And – according to ‘Riverman’ over at the Idaho Statesman forum:

He is a Fundamental Christian Minister in Emmett and not a Mormon. He is a true Conservative and listens to Dobson Family Values Show and at least he is not Newt and leaves his wife when she has cancer and marries some one else.

I love that “at least he is not Newt” line.  The ‘at least’ defense.

Picture of Pure Entitlement

Jesus! Doesn’t this say it all….got your jet in the background; someone’s brought you a comfy chair to sit in on the fucking tarmac; and, some poor soul is spiffing up your shoes.  You fucking dick! In no way do you deserve to serve as president of this country.

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h/t: Under the Mountain Bunker

How Is This Even Possible?

Saw this tweeted on Twitter early, early this morning from Think Progress.  (Gotta learn to turn that thing off at night or I’ll never get any sleep.)  Then again on Sisyphus’s Facebook page later on.

The financially backed (Koch Brothers) PAC, Americans for Prosperity has a listing of the most corrupt perfect recipients of their funding rated on how their votes benefited the PAC’s interests.  There were five senator who received a 100% rating. Those five:

THE KOCH FIVE
Senator	Koch Contributions
Coburn (R-OK)	$56300
Crapo (R-ID)	$42000
Hatch (R-UT)	$26500
Rubio (R-FL)	$34700
Johnson (R-WI)	$27900

I’m not understanding something here. Why would Mike Crapo receive funding from THIS PAC when there’s no direct correlation to benefiting them here in the state of Idaho?  The PAC doesn’t even have a chapter in Idaho.

From what I can glean from the scorecard covering the 111th Congress (2009 to 2010), Crapo received 100% for 2010 with a 93% in 2009 (he didn’t vote in line with AFP on one vote, didn’t vote on another bill). That puts Crapo’s overall grade at 96%.

Jim Risch: 100% in 2010, 86% = Overall grade for the 111th session is 92%

Mike Simpson:100% in 2010, roughly 68% 2009: Overall grade 111th session 85% B

Walt Minnick:  Overall grade of C at 65%.  (Really, I’d consider that an F).

Just an FYI.  I’m looking it over more closely later on what bills were voted on that benefited the PAC.

Mitt’s Latest Campaign Ad

 

 

The Empty Candidate

One of the best descriptors I’ve run across in relation to Mitt Romney is ’empty.’   The context in which I found it was at Dibgy’s place in this remarkable posting that epitomizes Mitt’s very emptiness – his very lack of substance.

In describing a protest during the ’60s where the Stanford administration office of the president was being held hostage by anti-war protesters, a group of counter-protesters, describing themselves as supporters of the university president as well as anti-communist (war supporters)  had the opportunity to meet Mitt, who described himself as “having some experience with the press.” [Interpretation: I’m a self-seeking bullshitter who will get my picture out there for your cause even if I don’t believe in it. Even at 19, he had it down.]

And then there were the chickenhawks.  They were neither part of the revolution nor did they take the obvious step of volunteering to fight the war they supported.   In fact, due to the draft, they allowed others to fight and die in their place despite the fact that they believed heartily that the best response to communism was to aggressively fight it “over there” so we wouldn’t have to fight it here. These were empty boys, unwilling to put themselves on the line at the moment of truth, yet they held the masculine virtues as the highest form of human experience and have portrayed themselves ever since as tough, uncompromising manly men while portraying liberals as weak and effeminate.

Empty boys …. who grow into empty men – empty…. soulless.

I’m Driving to Work on Your Dime

This morning the Idaho Press Tribune has an opinion on Ron Crane’s, Treasurer of the State of Idaho, imbecilic defense of why he uses the State gas card for his personal vehicle.

Apparently the first question is: “How is Mr. Crane paying for his daily commute between Nampa & Boise” because the IPT writes, “Another question that should be answered: Can you use a state credit card to fuel your personal vehicle?”  This isn’t to deride the IPT – is that a serious question? How many of us expect our employer to pay our way when getting to & from work? Evidently Mr. Crane thinks so.  I work from home & pay for internet service in order to connect to the hospital’s servers and database although a portion can be declared on my taxes as a business expense.

One commenter notes:

“We shouldn’t be paying for the local commute of any politician other than perhaps the Governor. Crane is in a position to have legally been the watch dog over such issues …. He is in a position of public trust, he is the watch dog over such issues...”

[That to me is one of two defining issues. “He is the watch dog over such issues..”]

Now as pointed out by the Idaho Press Tribune, the real issue as they see it:

But the real issue here is whether Idaho taxpayers should be expected to pay for his trips to and from work. If the rest of us are expected to foot that bill ourselves, shouldn’t the same be expected of the state treasurer?

That’s not the real issue. Why? Here’s where the ‘two defining issues’ come  in with their ‘issue’ simply providing a way out for Mr. Crane to apparently plead stupidity.

.1) Gov’t service: Ron Crane has leeched off the gov’t  for a long enough time.  He was a state representative for a number of years and following that was elected as state treasurer, and is undoubtedly quite aware of what’s allowed and/or disallowed.  During his tenure as a representative is where Mr. Crane would have been educated on those allowable expenses as they related to his office.

Prior to his election as Treasurer in 1998, Mr. Crane served 16 years in the Idaho House of Representatives. While there, he chaired the House State Affairs Committee for 4 years and the Business Committee for 7 years.

2) Business ownership:  Since 1979, Mr. Crane has operated his own small business.  It’s touted on the state website as “one of the oldest and largest alarm companies in Idaho.”  Again – as a business owner, Mr. Crane would know what’s allowable as a business expense for state & federal tax purposes.

Now, just another two things.  I’m truly sick of those who boast their Christian-ness as though that places them several notches above the rest of us especially when it comes to decision-making, living an exemplary life, and other bullshit.  Mr. Crane’s biography on the state website highlights his graduation from Nampa Christian High School, later graduating from college with an associate’s degree, going on to receive “an honorary doctorate from Ohio Christian University in 2008.” His biography also relays he is “a founding member of the Lifeline Crisis Pregnancy Center, and serves on the board of trustees for Nampa Christian Schools.”  Mr. Crane’s actions don’t even rise to meet up with his own standards.  What a role model.

Secondly, as the commenter mentioned above “he is the watch dog over such issues.”  I’d venture Mr. Crane KNOWS exactly what’s allowed and/or disallowed and simply is fabricating any response he can to find a way to skirt  the obvious. He did know and chose to ignore it.  Or … Mr. Crane truly is a fucking doofus and didn’t know and with that is flat-out unqualified at the most basic level for this position.

Either way, Mr. Crane needs to explain himself – then, resign.

Be Back ….

Wanted to get into the NDAA fray a tad because at first I wasn’t understanding the conflicting signals about the exact language vs the intent of the language.  It’s been neigh impossible because I’ve been sick. Whatever it is – the insistent cough thrusting into the chest, the sore throat where gravel apparently is stuck, that stuffiness of your head that makes you feel kinda high but dizzy at the same time, and some other shit thrown in just for the hell of it.  After 2-1/2 days of not working, 2-1/2 days of working at half-speed, and one doctor visit, know what I found?  TheraFlu! Lying in bed working up my energy level to get out to Rite-Aid for TheraFlu it struck me that my parents would use Vicks VapoRub when we had “chest colds” or whatever else they could find to use it for.

Don’t know what or which it was, but my sore throat was gone in the morning, and I’m feeling fairly good.  Not good enough to eat nachos which I’m really hankering for right about now and having to repeatedly talk myself out of fixing, but Shredded Wheat dusted with powdered sugar will suffice for the moment.

Idaho Senators Vote for the NDAA

Both Mike Crapo and Jim Risch voted for the NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act)  termed by some as the National Detention of Americans Act.

The two sections of concern are 1031 & 1032, posted below:

Subtitle D: Detainee Matters – (Sec. 1031) Affirms that the authority of the President to use all necessary and appropriate force pursuant to the Authorization for Use of Military Force includes the authority for U.S. Armed Forces to detain covered persons pending disposition under the law of war. Defines a “covered person” as a person who: (1) planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks on the United States of September 11, 2001, or harbored those responsible for such attacks; or (2) was part of or substantially supported al Qaeda, the Taliban, or associated forces that are engaged in hostilities against the United States or its coalition partners. Requires the Secretary to regularly brief Congress on the application of such authority.

(Sec. 1032) Requires U.S. Armed Forces to hold in custody pending disposition a person who was a member or part of al Qaeda or an associated force and participated in planning or carrying out an attack or attempted attack against the United States or its coalition partners. Authorizes the Secretary to waive such requirement in the national security interest. Makes such requirement inapplicable to U.S. citizens or U.S. lawful resident aliens. Outlines implementation procedures.