October 26 - More Stories You'll Find at Political Pollution

1 - Despite What Donald Trump Tweeted, Ford is Still Building a Massive Plant in Mexico

m'eye thoughts: Mr. Combover is starting to believe his own lies.  Trump via Twitter "...because of my constant badgering at packed events, (Ford) is going to cancel their deal to go to Mexico..."

Go to  Political Pollution

Republicans are lining up behind a carnival barker...

...Trey Gowdy failed in his mission to bring down Hillary, Jeb is cutting staff and looking for money... 

More butter, please!

Marco Rubio: Voting in the Senate is Highly Overrated

Marco Rubio in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 19, 2015
(working hard for the people of Florida)

"Someone needs to tell Marco Rubio that when you're in a hole, quit digging...

...When pressed during a CNN interview about why he thinks federal workers should be fired for not doing their jobs while he has missed the most votes in the Senate, Sen. Marco Rubio put his foot in his mouth and said that voting in the Senate is not important for a Senator...

...Caught in his hypocrisy, Rubio tried to dig his way out... 'Voting is not the most important part of the job.  The most important thing that a Senator does is constituent services.'"

eye'm thynkin':  The people in Florida are undoubtedly grateful for all the good services Mr. Rubio is providing for them in New Hampshire and Iowa and Utah and...

Read more at Crooks and Liars

While America Burns...

...instead of grabbing a fire extingusher, the GOP continues to feed the conservative bonfire.

Mormon Church Leadership: It's Civil Law Over Religious Doctrine on Same-Sex Marriage

Dallin Oaks, Elder in
the Mormon Church

"Despite its deep opposition to same-sex marriage, the Mormon Church is setting itself apart from religious conservatives who rallied behind a Kentucky county clerk, Kim Davis, who cited her religious beliefs as justification for refusing to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples...

...'Office holders remain free to draw upon their personal beliefs and motivations and advocate their positions in the public square,' Elder Oaks said. 'But when acting as public officials, they are not free to apply personal convictions, religious or other, in place of the defined responsibilities of their public offices.  All government officers should exercise their civil authority according to the principles and within the limits of civil government...A county clerk's recent invoking of religious reasons to justify refusal by her office and staff to issue marriage license to same-gender couples violates this principle.'

Jonathan Rauch, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, called the speech a 'pretty big deal' that embraced compromise over conflict."

eye'm thynkin':  When the Mormon Church sounds like the voice of reason on the issue of marriage equality, I would call that testament to the Christian right's having gone completely off the cliff.

And compromise over conflict is not an idea embraced by anyone on the conservative spectrum.

Read more at The New York Times

Tony Blair Apologizes for Iraq War. Don't Expect the Same from Anyone on This Side of the Pond

Getty Images

"Tony Blair has finally apologized for the Iraq War.  The former Prime Minister said he accepts that the conflict has been a factor in the rise of (ISIS).  Blair made the startling confession during a TV interview in which he acknowledged the 'hell' that had resulted from his and George Bush's decision in 2003, to oust Saddam Hussein from power.

In the interview by US political broadcaster Fareed Zakaria, Blair is asked point-blank: 'Was the Iraq War a mistake?"  He replies matter of factly: 'I apologize for the fact that the intelligence we received was wrong.  I also apologize for the some of the mistakes in planning and, certainly, our mistake in our understanding of what would happen once you removed the regime."...

...When asked if the Iraq War was 'the principal cause' of the rise of (ISIS), he said: 'I think there are elements of truth in that.  Of course you can't say those of us who removed Saddam in 2003 bear no responsibility for the situation in 2015."

eye'm thynkin':  I guess Tony can forget about an invite to the next Bush BBQ.

Read more at Yahoo News

October 25 - More Stories You'll Find at Political Pollution

1 - Former IRS Official Cleared of Charge She Targeted Conservative Non-Profits

m'eye thoughts: And another Republican fueled, tax-payer funded, conspiracy investigation finds nothing.

2 - When Dead Children Became an Acceptable Price to "Preserve" the Second Amendment... (graphic)

No one's child should be viewed as collateral damage to YOUR rights.

Go to Political Pollution

Stop Me If You've Heard This Before

(Any underlines are mine.)

"House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) announced Friday the (creation of) the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Select Investigative Panel focused on 'big abortion providers'--namely Planned Parenthood...

...From the Speaker's Friday news release:

"Recent videos exposing the abortion-for-baby parts business have shocked the nation, and demanded action.  At my request, three House committees have been investigating the abortion business, but we still don't have the full truth..."  

eye'm thynkin':  Haven't we heard this before? 

I expect that sometime in 2017, Cecile Richards will sit in the seat recently occupied by Hillary Clinton and will, once again, make Republicans look petty, ill-informed, and foolish.  But not before American taxpayers spend millions of dollars so that GOP candidates can continue to feed their conservative voter base the "facts" they want to hear.

Read more at Talking Points Memo

Scott Walker Signs Law That Protects Dirty Politicians

"Wisconsin Republican Governor Scott Walker on Friday signed a bill into law that prohibits prosecutors from using the state's secret investigation law to probe political crimes--a measure used to convict four of his aides and investigate his campaign...

...Under the legislation Walker signed, prosecutors can no longer use the law to investigate cases of bribery or political misconduct...

...The Republican-led state Senate and Assembly approved the measure along party lines during the last several days."

eye'm thynkin':  Because who needs to waste time prosecuting dirty politicians, right?  Really, when was the last time a politician was convicted, or even charged, with any unlawful shenanigans?   Oh, yeah...hmmmm.

Well, at least Mr. Walker saved his own butt in the future.  Too bad about those aides of his though.

Read more at Yahoo News

Correcting the dialogue:

Laughin'!

October 23 - More Stories You'll Find at Political Pollution

1 - Price-Gouging Pharma CEO Fuming as Rival Creates $1 Alternative AIDS Drug

m'eye thoughts: I am enjoying this way too much.  

2 - Trey Gowdy Can't Think of One New Thing They Learned During the Hearings

"As insult to injury, a new poll shows that 72 percent of Americans believe this is a political effort and hasn't got anything to do with  the truth."

3 - Donald Trump Says He Would be Open to Closing U.S. Mosques to Fight ISIS

Well, there goes another voting block.

Go to Political Pollution

Ben Carson: Freedom of Speech Should Be a Two-Tier Right

what eye thynk:  Ben Carson seems to be having a little trouble understanding the First Amendment.  It appears he believes it is there to protect his right to say anything he wants, and that includes stopping the rest of us from disagreeing with him.  

The chronology of his statements on freedom of speech and political correctness make for interesting reading.

2012, during an interview at Patrick Henry College: "(People) need to rise up, they need to say to political correctness: 'Take a hike.  This is who we are, this is what we believe in..."

2013, in an interview with Star Parker, founder of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education:  "(One) thing we have to realize is we're being crucified by political correctness--because you're not supposed to say anything to that young woman who's having a baby out of wedlock, because 'that lifestyle is equivalent to any other lifestyle.'"

2014, speaking at CPAC: "It's time for people to stand up and proclaim for what they believe and stop being bullied...(Common sense has) been beaten into submission (by the) PC police."

2014, during an interview on BreitbartTV, after being criticized for comparing the U.S. to Nazi Germany:  "We now live in a society where people are afraid to say what they actually believe.  And it's because of the PC police, it's because of politicians, it's because of news.  All of these things are combining to stifle people's conversation.  The reason that is so horrible is because the only way you have harmony and reach a consensus is by talking."

February 2015, talking to Bill O'Reilly:  "We need to be in a place where people feel free to express themselves and not to be intimidated by political correctness.  It's destroying our nation, and there is a reason that our founders, one of the very first amendments, freedom of speech, freedom of expression."

September 2015, speaking on a Michigan university campus:  "Political correctness is imposed by the secular progressives and those who wish to fundamentally change our society.  Therefore, they make things off limits to talk about..."

October 2015, talking to Glen Beck who asked whether Mr. Carson would eliminate the Department of Education as other GOP candidates have proposed:  "I actually have something I would use the Department of Education to do.  It would be to monitor our institutions of higher education for extreme political bias and deny federal funding if it exists." 

It is interesting that he made so many of his calls for an end to bullying opposing views into silence through political correctness at schools and universities or while discussing issues of education, but then says he'd use the Department of Education to silence political discourse in places where education is supported by federal funds.

So, is he trying to say that, if you attend a publicly funded school or university you will be expected to give up your First Amendment rights?  Is he proposing an America where only those affluent enough to afford a private school education would be permitted the right to an opinion of our political system?

During a town hall meeting in Des Moines, a student asked President Obama about candidate Carson's plan for the U.S. Department of Education.  The President replied, "I have no idea what that means, and I suspect he doesn't either."

Aaaannnnd mic drop.

The end.

Conservatives Concede: Hillary Ate Trey Gowdy for Lunch

what eye thynk:  Admitting your own party's incompetence is never a harbinger of good things to come, but that's exactly what Trey Gowdy, chairman of the House Select Committee on Benghazi, did as he opened the Committee's long anticipated session with Hillary Clinton.  Using his opening statement to defend the reason for this, the eighth GOP panel's existence, he said,  "Those previous investigations were not thorough"

Well, that's good to know.

The downward spiral continued for 11 more hours.  When Fox "News" abandoned live coverage of the Select Committee on Benghazi's interrogation of Hillary Clinton more than three hours before the hearing actually ended, you could bet on your grandma that the Republicans were not having a good day.  When Fox turned to broadcasting subject matter not even remotely related to the on-going hearing, in fact acting like they were totally unaware of the goings on in Washington at that moment, you could safely add your wife, your first born, his favorite blanket, your dog, the neighbor's cat, and a weekend with the in-laws into the wager and still be sure of coming out ahead.

It didn't take long for conservatives to recognize they were witnessing a disaster-in-the-making in Washington.


Disappointed conservatives weigh in:

Midway through the day, Matt Lewis of the Daily Caller wrote: "Unless something happens, it's starting to look like Hillary Clinton won't merely survive this hearing--she will have come out on top."

Jazz Shaw of Hot Air: "This hearing is turning into a disaster on wheels.  Jesus, I spend half my day criticizing Hillary Clinton and even I find this set of questions embarrassing."

Byron York of The Washington Examiner offered the opinion that the hearing was "very, very good news for Hillary Clinton."

Erick Erickson, conservative radio host and former editor-in-chief of RedState.com said the hearing was proving to be a "waste of time."

John Podhoretz, conservative writer and former Republican speechwriter, commenting on Representative Mike Pompeo's (R-Kansas) attempts to badger Clinton into a "gotcha" moment:  "Why doesn't Pompeo just go over and swear her in for president now?  If he goes on like this he'll practically get her elected."

In the end, Trey Gowdy and his Select Committee had to concede that the public grilling of former Secretary of State Clinton was a waste of time and publicity.  "I don't know that she testified much differently today than when she previously testified."

But, I'm sure, his committee's report will be much more thorough.

Christie Thinks WWIII Will Put Him in White House

"Languishing at the bottom in polls of the Republican presidential field, Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey ramped up his tough talk on foreign policy (last week), calling President Obama a 'weakling' and saying that the United States should threaten to shoot down Russian planes conducting airstrikes in Syria.

'My first phone call would be to Vladimir, and I'd say, "Listen, we're enforcing this no-fly zone... And I mean we're enforcing it against anyone, including you.  So don't try me.  Don't try me.  Because I'll do it."'

eye'm thynkin':  Christie is still running?  Really?  Well, then... Yeeehaaaww!  World War III here I come!  That ought to get those poll numbers surging!

Read more at The New York Times

Gun Lobby: 2nd Amendment Gives Every Parent the Right to Allow Their Toddlers to Kill Themselves

From a report published by The Washington Post last week: 

 People are getting shot by toddlers on a weekly basis this year...

...Roughly once a week this year, on average, a small child has found a gun, pointed it at himself or someone else, and pulled the trigger... In 13 of the 43 total incidents, a child's self-inflicted injuries were fatal.  In two other cases, another person died after being shot by a toddler: a father in Alabama, and a 1-year-old in Ohio...

...And there are probably many more cases where a little kid inadvertently shoots a gun and doesn't hit anyone, resulting in little more than a scared kid and (hopefully) chastened parents...

...There are policy and technical responses to preventable childhood gun deaths... State and localities could required guns to be locked up at home, a policy supported by 67 percent of Americans.  Various types of smart gun technology, which prevent anyone other than their owners from firing a given gun, exist as well.  But gun lock requirements and smart guns have been vehemently opposed by the National Rile Association and its allies.

Instead, the NRA continues to promote a response that seeks to solve gun problems with more guns, and aims to broaden the saturation of firearms in nearly every sphere of public and private life, from homes to schools to churches to bars to airports...

what eye thynk:  A toddler a week!  But so totally worth it to protect our Second Amendment rights.  Yay, America!

I would love to hear the gun lobby explain how their "more guns" and "good guy with a gun" ideas are better solutions than locked gun cabinets or smart guns in preventing toddler gun tragedies like these.  I'd also like to hear them explain how the Second Amendment  gives them the right to be judge, jury, and executioner in order to prevent gun shop owners from offering safer firearms to those who want them.

Gun shop owners in Maryland and California who advertised the sale of smart guns stopped selling them after receiving death threats.  According to rabid gun fans, anyone who dares to offer the public the choice to purchase a type of gun they personally dislike should be killed.  And they see this as a rational response!  Not only do they believe that every American should be free to own as many guns as they want, they believe they have the right to tell Americans what TYPE of gun should be in their personal arsenal. Owning an assault rifle is a fine idea!  An automatic pistol with an extended magazine? Excellent choice! Smart gun ownership, however, makes you the enemy and anyone offering such a firearm for sale deserves death.

These crazies will proudly wear their "Good Guy with a Gun" t-shirt to church on Sunday and thank God the NRA is fighting to protect their right to keep a "stupid" gun behind a sofa cushion where their 2-year-old can find it and shoot himself in the head.  Allowing another parent to purchase a gun that all but guarantees his small children will be safe from accidental self-annihilation is un-American!

Carrying their logic to other choices, I wonder how they'd feel if vegetarians began threatening their local A&P managers with death unless they stopped selling meat?  It's the same rationale--I don't like it so you shouldn't be permitted to have it--and in this context demonstrates how stupidly out of control the gun lobby is in this country.

October 22 - More Stories You'll Find at Political Pollution

1 - Norwegians are Using 'Texas' as a Slang for 'Crazy' Now

m'eye thoughts:  Sadly, Texans will probably be bragging about this, completely unaware that Norway is laughing at them. (And not in a good way.)

2 - Bobby Jindal Ponders Skipping Next Debate

Would anyone notice?  Go home, Piyush.

3 - 3-Year-Old Daughter of Sheriff's Deputy Shoots Herself in the Leg in Georgia

So would this be an example of a "good guy" with a gun?

4 - Conservative Radio Host Freaks Out: 'Transgender Crowd' Will Use Magnets to Suck God From Your Brain

Well, I have to give him an "A" for originality.

Go to Political Pollution 

October 21 - More Stories You'll Find at Political Pollution

1 - Bush Plummets to Single Digits in New Florida Poll

m'eye thoughts: Disliked even in his own state.  Read the country's lips: No More Bushes!

Go to Political Pollution

But the Select Committee is Not Political at All...Really...Honest Injun...Hillary Who?