Some Hero!

Clive Bundy is a lying, hypocritical, freeloader who says he does not recognize the federal government. The fact that he is in a dispute with the federal government and there are right wing militia types who are threatening violence on his behalf is enough to make shameless demagogues such as Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh hail Bundy as a hero. Far too many of the Republican politicians who follow Hannity and Limbaugh also hail Bundy as a hero. Strangely, the militia types and the Republican politicians defending Bundy claim to follow a strict adherence to the Constitution of the United States. How could they be so oblivious to the apparent contradiction? Have they ever thought about why our founding fathers held the Constitutional Convention or what they created there? Here is a hint: it was the federal government. I would strongly suggest that they read the constitution or at least a high school history book, assuming they can understand anything more complex than the tattoos on the rumps of their girlfriends or the brands on the rumps of Bundy’s cattle.

I am amused by how surprised the Republicans say they are over the racism Bundy publicly expressed in terms that are too repugnant for any elected official to ignore. This might be ungenerous, but I think it was the utter stupidity of Bundy making those statements publicly rather than the racism itself that surprised those Republicans. Although most of them have repudiated Bundy’s racist statements, some of them still insist that Bundy and the militia types are right in opposing the federal government by force of arms. What those politicians do not seem to understand are the dangerous ramifications of endorsing that behavior. In fact, the Republicans are acting as though they believe that the Timothy Mc Veigh’s of this world only kill Democrats. If those Republican Congressman and Senators ever pull their heads out of where it is dark and smelly, they will realize that they are a part of the federal government, even if they refuse to do anything to help govern, and that those armed and very dangerous militia types think all politicians are evil!

Bleeding Hearts

My brother, Randy Smiley, took this picture of the bleeding hearts and posted it on his political blog.  He and I were amused by the thought that some crabgrass conservative would probably refer to them as “damn liberal weeds.”  The bleeding hearts seem like a fitting tribute to Randy.  He would have been the first to tell you that criticizing someone for caring about others does not speak well of the critic.  Randy was a much kinder and better man than I am.  I could not help thinking about him as I celebrated this season of compassion and redemption. 

Consider this a tribute, my brother.  Though you are gone our struggle for a kinder, fairer society continues!

Supreme Court, Inc.

Just in case anyone doubted it, the five Supreme Injustices have made it absolutely clear. With the Shelby County v. Holder, Citizens United, and McCutcheon v. FEC decisions the worst Supreme Court in modern history has established the legality of the rule of money; you cannot suppress the rule of money but you can suppress the vote. The oligopoly has been given the political power of an oligarchy.