We spent several hours yesterday watching the live transmission of Hillary Clinton testifying before the House Benghazi Tribunal . . . err, Committee. The absolute ABSURDITY of questionings from the entire Republican side of the aisle reminded me of some old quotes which, for some odd reason, now seem to perfectly define the Republican Party’s undercurrent idiocy that was SO implicit in those proceedings. Amazing (see Jim Jordan, R-OH, for grand and CURRENT exemplification).
“The Constitutional right to talk nonsense does not include protection against being thought a fool.” ~Robert H. Kroninger (Superior Court Judge, CA, retired)
“Politicians & Diapers Both Need to Be Changed, and for the Same Reason”
(source unknown)
“So let us regard this as settled: what is morally wrong can never be advantageous, even when it enables you to make some gain that you believe to be to your advantage. The mere act of believing that some wrongful course of action constitutes an advantage is pernicious.” ~Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 B.C.)
“Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But then I repeat myself.” ~Mark Twain
“The Democrats are the party of government activism, the party that says government can make you richer, smarter, taller, and get the chickweed out of your lawn. Republicans are the party that says government doesn’t work, and then get elected and prove it.” ~P. J. O’Rourke
“Dare to be naive.” ~Buckminster Fuller
“Some minds remain open long enough for the truth not only to enter but to pass on through by way of a ready exit without pausing anywhere along the route.” ~Sister Elizabeth Kenny
“The masses have never thirsted after truth. Whoever can supply them with illusions is easily their master; whoever attempts to destroy their illusions is always their victim.” ~Gustave Le Bon; The Crowd
“The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by an endless series of hobgoblins, most of them imaginary.” ~H.L. Mencken
“If the citizens neglect their Duty and place unprincipled men in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent men will be appointed to execute the Laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy men; and the rights of the citizen will be violated or disregarded.” ~Noah Webster – (1758-1843) American patriot and scholar
“Just be what you are and speak from your guts and heart – it’s all a man has.” ~Hubert H. Humphrey
“Day-to-day life within an empire consists of the deceitful leading the disengaged.” ~Phil Rockstroh; October 12, 2006
“I’m sick and tired of a bunch of despicable Republicans who will not debate real policy, who won’t take responsibility for their own mistakes, standing up and trying to make other people the butt of those mistakes. It disgusts me that a bunch of these Republican hacks who’ve never worn the uniform of our country are willing to lie about those who did.” ~Sen. John Kerry; October 31, 2006
I was puzzled as to exactly why so many of the GOoPers on the committee were so persistently interested in blasting Sidney Blumenthal and his email communications with then-Secretary Clinton. It wasn’t until I ran across this line that I finally got it:
“[H]ypocrisy is at the center of the Republican idea.” ~Sidney Blumenthal, in How Bush Rules: Chronicles of a Radical Regime; 2006
Apparently whomever it was that said ‘the truth hurts’ nailed an entire political party to the cross.
Then there’s this little goody, clearly intended for the Committee’s Arkansas nutcase; he should take it to heart and maybe one day learn enough non-Arkansasian English to facilitate his ability to communicate with folks whose IQs exceed 75:
“One sign of our unity is our English language. For newcomers, it has always been the fastest route to prosperity in America. English empowers. We support English as the official language in our nation … thereby fostering a commitment to our national motto, E Pluribus Unum.” ~from the Republican Platform, 2008
Finally, and though I’m not one who very often likes to quote Dan Quayle, this little one-liner of his will probably prove to be the perfect end result summation of this Benghazi committee’s impending collapse, along with their ultimate reward:
“If we do not succeed, then we run the risk of failure.” ~Vice President Dan Quayle, to the Phoenix Republican Forum, 3/23/90
I guess the bottom line is a simple one. NEVER in all my 73 years have I EVER witnessed such an endless parade of STUPID combined with pure and unadulterated SPITE. I can say with some impunity that I’m actually ashamed to be resident in a country that has sunk low enough — during my lifetime, for chrissake — to elect such a chorus of nitwits to positions of governmental authority. If the electorate doesn’t very soon toss each and all of those ignorant bums out, it’s very easy to visualize this nation’s upcoming demise, and all within the lifespan of a great many alive today.
Aeschylus spoke what seems to well-describe the frustration of each and every functioning mind out there today when he wrote, in ‘The Libation Bearers’:
“Here once more . . .
the tempest in the race has struck . . .
“Where will it end? —
where will it sink to sleep and rest,
this murderous hate, this Fury?”
OPEN THREAD
Everyone who’s surprised, raise your hand . . .
Stop Hillary PAC Exposes Actual Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
Every time I see Trey Gowdy – “Dulling Banjos” goes off in my head
Fortuitous slip – “Duelling” heh
Honor? HONOR? He’s got no stinkin’ honor!!
What he said.
And now there are three…(Really two)
“Feel the Bern” slogan was working. “Feel the Chafe” not so much.
Was he actually jockeying for a veep slot?
Well its between Hillary and Bernie now (sorry Mike) – if Hillary is choosing, I bet we have a significant Latino politician like Castro of San Antonio (wow that would blow up Texas and most of the West eh?)
If Bernie, someone with international teeth – who is the Biden of 2016? no idea.
Anyway enough idle speculation on the ‘horse race’ breaking my own shibboleth there….
Can we get back to debating policy and serious stuff? How is Canada’s new rock star PM going to shift things around? He’s already pulled Canada’s plug on Syria …. climate change? Too soon for him?
You’re right, Castro Is a well thought of, young, up-and-coming politician out this way.
“gathering in the bowels of a downtown Washington hotel….”
Deeply disturbing visual ensues…
I was thinking Lovecraft right there – quick close the Gate to Chthulu!
Seems to me Hillary followed up her debate performance with the sort of nerve under fire yesterday that made stand out again – I think Benghazi backfired on the Clown Car yesterday. No one who was not going to vote for her already will switch, but those who had sort-of bought into the media meme of her … I suspect they shook it off and are back in her fold.
Margaret and Helen again – the Raid on Planned Parenthood – Abbott sent in the brownshirts to ransack the clinics yesterday.
Meanwhile in Mexico – the most powerful storm ever in the Americas is heading for Puerto Vallarta.
Oh crap, I was in PV in 2002. We had a 45 minute downpour and found out why the curbs are so high….
Yup those slopes will channel that water and mud straight into the middle of town and I doubt the building quality is up to it – it’s going to get smashed. I was in Cabo – 6 months before it got smashed – same thing – buildings are not up to it. PV is going to be worse because of the topography. All the new hotels built on the strip to the north at 1-2 metres above the hide tide line.
Forty foot waves breaking on the beach, and bang, there goes the resort, the shops on the main drag, all will get smashed to bits.. We stayed at Krystal, which is up from the beach a ways, but the tide surge will probably flood it as well.
I was 1/4m north of DT near the Corona distribution warehouse 🙂 – water’s going to be in the second floor condo 😦
Monster Hurricane Patricia takes aim at Mexico
Cat 5! Can’t even imagine.
I see they added some new colours to this one – never seen it worse than red before…..
Just heard 205 mph winds. There should maybe be a category 6 now? Lucky there’s no such thing as climate change!
It’s just liking having a really widespread EF5 tornado hit you.
We need to build that wall on the border to keep out people and hurricanes from Mexico.
Yes, and we should bill the pacific ocean for it.
Say, that is a helluv an idea! (GOP speaking)
This link doesn’t go anywhere.
I don’t think you need to get any closer to that monster that we already are Wayne
The most surprising comment in the collection above – John Kerry’s – he really let rip eh? Not at all like the aloof, carefully parsed and long-winded Kerry we know from the Senate and the SoS… Blumenthal is the best of those – succinct and to the point – today’s conservative politics – nothing but pro-fascist hypocrisy.
I keep waiting for someone with a media voice to use the word ‘fascism’ to define the radical right, the ‘Freedom Caucus’. Not holding my breath, though — media and truth are mutually exclusive when GOP is anywhere near the topic.
And yet it’s “socialist” this and “Marxist” that ….. fook those guys, seriously.
Ben Carson claimed he is in “great danger” — and in need of Secret Service protection — because a “secular progressive movement.”
Can you imagine how those people feel thinking they may have to take a bullet for Chance the Gardener?
Totally illogical – “we’re coming for your guns!” – doesn’t mean we have any!
And if we had any, why would we brother Carson? He’s so wrong about everything it’s actually entertaining.
Should the Chairman of the Benghazi Select Committee be able to state that the current investigation is not a political witch hunt when he represents and has donated money to a PAC called Stop Hillary PAC? Quote: “Stop Hillary PAC was created for one reason only – to ensure Hillary Clinton never becomes President of the United States.”
Not political my ass.
“Na-na-na-now-na-now-na-now-now …”
Yes, after speaking for nearly 7 or 8 hours (of an eleven hour waste of time and energy) one isn’t allowed to cough!
Hillary: “[cough]-ass–hole!!-[cough]”
After 11 hours swatting the flies and bluebottles and other shitdwellers that make up Amurkkkan religious zealotry – I’d say Hillary is ready for the Iranians, IS, the Taliban and Bibi – more than any of the other fookberks in the Clown Car.
Keeping one’s composure in the face of extreme buffoonery is the hallmark of great leadership.
Sadly but yes – Kim Jong Un watch out
OK – where House? He will be into this….. US F1 Grand Prix is in Austin on Sunday afternoon. Hurricane Patricia, or whatever is left it, will get to San Antonio sometime around 9am on Sunday ….. ooops
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-34614864
http://www.bbc.com/sport/live/formula1/32543395
…where House?
Watching Practice 1. Already damp in Austin, H. Patricia may solve my problem of watching Nascar and F1 at the same time.
Practice 2 is wetter. They might as well go out on track. Heavy thunderstorms are forecast for qualifying tomorrow.
h/t C&L – Benghazi may have just punctured the Clown Car’s tires
“In the face of overwhelming odds, I’m left with only one option, I’m gonna have to science the shit out of this.” — One of my favorite lines from The Martian.
I notice that dude didn’t immediately look around for a chicken to sacrifice and start wailing to the East
The free market works its magic. Shkreli gets screwed.
http://www.mic.com/articles/127246/you-can-now-buy-the-drug-pharma-bro-martin-shkreli-hiked-5-000-for-a-dollar?utm_source=policymicFB&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=WHFacebook&utm_content=inf_11_285_2
“There’s a c**kpunch here from the Free Market for a Mr Skidmark? Sorry – that’s Mr Shkreli? A c**kpunch for a Mr Shkreli?”
“Sign here please Mr Skidmark”
Dominionist asshole thinks ‘lying for Jesus’ is a-ok…. FTG…S.
Most authentic Halloween costume this year!
One thing that’s hard to figure is why Republicans — you know, the ones who cherish and “protect” the Constitution, the rule of law, and FREEDOM!! — apparently are also the ones who believe that only fascists deserve it
Bryan Fischer: Obama Letting UN Impose Sharia Law On US Cities
Rand Paul: Bernie Sanders’ Socialism Will ‘Eliminate’ Critics
Rand Paul Warns Sanders Presidency Could Lead To ‘Mass Genocide’
Ben Carson Assures Conservatives That His Campus Speech Monitoring Would Only Target Liberals
Mike Huckabee Calls For Mass Civil Disobedience By Gun Dealers
Great, now I have to find something else to write about.
Oh my, well here’s a “shocker”: The facility that ‘treated’ Josh Duggar after he molested underage girls has been sued by five women for sexual abuse, cover up, and attempting to move their assets to rape-friendly Texas.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2015/10/23/fundamentalist_duggar_connected_ministry_is_sued_for_sex_abuse_cover_up.html
Bastards!
Poor Jeb!. People found out he was a Bush and…
Just Elect Bernie!
This one goes out to Jeb “Shit, they found out I’m a” Bush…..
you BAD, TtT!
The price tag on Slanthead’s paperback certainly looks like a markdown.
I pee myself
This one is for Mexico….
Patricia may do more than strip the paint off the houses in Puerto Vallarta…. and
This one goes to Trey Gowdy….. memorable though this week’s performance was …. he was far better in Deliverance…
Bill Clinton to Trey Gowdy
The video was ‘cleaned up’ here’s the accurate language
This is for Zooey ….
Wait no this is the one:
Goddammmmiti!
OK, this one is for *US*:
Seem like nice girls – creepy but nice.
Nice
Creepy
Ted Cruz – this one’s for you
So far seems like PV and nearest Port to the south avoided a direct hit by 20 miles…
That is frightening.
Some sad news to pass along to Critters and long time Zoosters. Our friend Gummitch announced on his FB page that Ralph is no longer with us, and is at peace now.
;(
that didn’t come out right. I’m sad at this news.
Oh, Gummitch sending you warm hugs. It will be lonely for a long while.
The memory of your pal will assist in the healing.