31 Comments

• 1. Freedom1  |  January 17th, 2008 at 2:08 am

  I ♥ Blogs 4 Victo(r)y!

• 2. keefer  |  January 17th, 2008 at 4:54 am

  Hey, Freedom1, where ya been? You and DL have been gone awhile–tired of the troll pukes here?

• 3. keefer  |  January 17th, 2008 at 5:01 am

  Hey, there’s all this talk by the pundits about how there’s no clear front-runner in the GOP. What about the Dems? According to Zogby, it’s a dead-heat between Hitlery and Earbama, who smoked dope and snorted coke.

  And Edwards? Why is he still in? The answer is simple–$$$…

• 4. Brian  |  January 17th, 2008 at 6:40 am

  I’d recommend that all conservatives read this article: http://townhall.com/blog/g/741d812a-c161-4623-893e-5072488703b1

  It’s a detailed dissection of Mitt Romney’s “victory” speech in Michigan. How any conservative could support him is beyond me. He is clearly running on a liberal message.

  Not to mention his low-class act of cutting off McCain’s consession speech. Stop voting for this poll-chasing jerk.

• 5. Jonathan Swift  |  January 17th, 2008 at 6:47 am

  Open thread?

  Talk about, yet another, Republican traitor.

  A former congressman and delegate to the United Nations was indicted Wednesday as part of a terrorist fundraising ring that allegedly sent more than $130,000 to an al-Qaida and Taliban supporter who has threatened U.S. and international troops in Afghanistan.

• 6. extramedium  |  January 17th, 2008 at 7:06 am

  But the health kick has elicited grumblings from colleagues in Congress. Gone are the days of meatloaf and Jell-O, replaced by mahi mahi, brie and baguettes.

  “I like the food we had before,” House Minority Leader John Boehner said Wednesday morning. “I like real food, food we can pronounce the name of.”

  Can’t pronounce brie? LOL

  It’s the sort of hackery we’d expect from Fox. These new, items have been added to the menu as a healthier alternative and many congresspeople appreciate it. I understand they still have many of the old choices, so no one has been tied down and force-fed seared tuna with caper sauce. Should everyone be forced to only have meatloaf and American cheese just because a few have unadventurous pallettes? What a bunch of crybabies!

• 7. coulterfan  |  January 17th, 2008 at 7:45 am

  Here is what Obama said about animal rights:

  “Obama responded that he cares about animal rights very much, “not only because I have a 9-year-old and 6-year-old who want a dog.” He said he sponsored a bill to prevent horse slaughter in the Illinois state Senate and has been repeatedly endorsed by the Humane Society.

  “I think how we treat our animals reflects how we treat each other,” he said. “And it’s very important that we have a president who is mindful of the cruelty that is perpetrated on animals.”

  So, evidently you have a problem addressing animal cruelty, Mark? There should be no enforcement of laws prohibiting cruel treatment of animals? What about Genesis, where God tells Adam & Eve that they are the caretakers of all living creatures?

  Keefer said:

  “Earbama, who smoked dope and snorted coke.”

  When he was a TEENAGER!

  Contrast this with GW Bush who not only snorted coke in his youth (amongst other things), he was a DRUNKARD until he was FORTY !!!

  At least it didn’t take Obama 40 years to GROW UP into an adult! He got it out of his system as a teenager. . .

• 8. coulterfan  |  January 17th, 2008 at 7:51 am

  So, in summary, Obama would have condemned Michael Vick and those like him. . .

  Matt would have SUPPORTED Michael Vick?!?!?!?

• 9. extramedium  |  January 17th, 2008 at 7:53 am

  “I like the food we had before,” House Minority Leader John Boehner said Wednesday morning. “I like real food, food we can pronounce the name of.”

  Also, that’s funny coming from a guy who’s NAME I can’t pronounce the name of! Is that “boner”? Double LOL

• 10. AAR  |  January 17th, 2008 at 8:06 am

  JS,

  Mark Deli Siljander last served in Congress in 1987! That’s more than 20 years ago!!! (Isn’t he a Democrat now?)

  But yes, the lead and first part of the story by the Drive-By Media (a.k.a. Liberal press) would have one to believe he is an active Republican member of Congress, who is “accused” of accepting money and lobbying for an “alleged terrorist fundraising ring”.

  He was also a child at one time. Perhaps the headline should read “former Republican child accused of lobbying for an alleged terrorist fundraising ring”!

  In either case, if the guy’s guilty, hang him and make an example!!!

  AAR

• 11. Bigfoot  |  January 17th, 2008 at 8:14 am

  “I like the food we had before,” House Minority Leader John Boehner said Wednesday morning. “I like real food, food we can pronounce the name of.”

  Let them eat kielbasa, pierogies, golumpkies, moussaka, pastitsio, weiner schnitzel, bratwurst, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, cha gio, phó, lo mein, moo goo gai pan, samosas, naan, matzos, prosciutto, capicola and pastrami!

• 12. Diana Powe  |  January 17th, 2008 at 8:21 am

  Bigfoot,

  Nicely done! Take a bow!

• 13. Retired Spook  |  January 17th, 2008 at 9:28 am

  Hey, Diana and the rest of you Lefties, I’ve got a belated New Years resolution to propose. I address Diana by name because she seems to have by far the best communications skills of all the Libs who post here. How about we quit playing political gotcha and concentrate on areas where we all share common ground. How about we all start stressing positive ideas and the positive attributes of candidates we support instead of concentrating on the negatives of our adversaries.

  Matt and Mark give those of you who visit here (and, yes, you are visitors, so wipe your feet before you enter) a great deal of latitude to express contrary viewpoints. Compared to other sites I’ve visited, our resident Liberals are a pretty civil bunch for the most part. In fact, IMHO, there’s more incivility on the Right on this blog than on the Left, and I confess I’ve not always been an innocent bystander in that regard.

  In the end, all most of us want is to live in a country where everyone has the opportunity to be, to use a tired Army slogan, “the best that we can be”; to live in a country that rewards integrity, initiative, resourcefulness, hard work, but unhesitatingly cares for those who cannot take care of themselves; a country that is viewed by the rest of the world as a beacon of freedom but not as a bully. What say you? Can we attempt to accentuate the positive in 2008? I pledge to do my part. Let’s everyone start this new year with their glass at least half full.

• 14. AAR  |  January 17th, 2008 at 9:35 am

  Bigfoot,

  More Democrat lunacy! But what else would one expect from the nutty Liberals who want to charge people with cruelty to animals for killing a rat… assign dogs a public defender to sue their owners… and give apes the same rights as humans?!!!

  The Democrat Nannies just can’t function without aggressively working to impose their agenda and lifestyle on everyone else — even telling people what they can and can not eat and drink!!!

  Next the Democrat Nannies will demand strictly “vegetarian” food, with a low carbon footprint, served in a Victorian style “effeminate” restaurant, decorated with lacey curtains, frilly tablecloths, and spindly furniture!!!

  That’s to be expected though when someone like Pelosi — or Hillary — is elected to politics!

  Democrats (Liberals) can all move to Paris along with the U.N.!!!

  AAR

• 15. David.B.Schmidt  |  January 17th, 2008 at 9:43 am

  Bigfoot,
  All I can say to that is “wiener schnitzel is not a sausage & there are no kangaroos in Austria.”

  Coulterfan,
  As part of Sen. Obama’s comment referring to his children “…who want a dog.” sounds a lot like the folks on this blog who said that those who don’t have children should say out of the conversation about the “worth” of having children. Maybe he should have a “pet” before he opens his blowhole?

  I do believe that how we treat our animals says a great deal about how we are as a people; however, I do not extend animals “rights” like a human. Nonetheless, I do “invite” them to the dinner table quite often ;-)

  In General,
  The greatest fear I have at this point after reviewing all of the candidates (both sides) is a Mayor Bloomberg (sp?) run at the last minute to drain enough votes and give Sen. Clinton / Sen. Obama a win and four years of socialism. They (Clinton / Obama) are both “cut throat” in politics and will take any opening (created or given) to rout this election. Let’s just hope my nightmare is just that.

• 16. Sunny  |  January 17th, 2008 at 12:42 pm

  How about we quit playing political gotcha and concentrate on areas where we all share common ground.
  Retired Spook | January 17th, 2008 at 9:28 am

  Great idea. This is the best New Years resolution suggested by anyone here.

• 17. Sunny  |  January 17th, 2008 at 1:29 pm

  Bernanke Urges Fast Action on Economic Stimulus Plan
  On Capitol Hill, Federal Reserve Chief Outlines Challenges Facing Economy

  Comments on this headline? I am not an economist, so really do not have an opinion - just curious as to your take on this.

• 18. Retired Spook  |  January 17th, 2008 at 1:54 pm

  Sunny, clearly Wall Street doesn’t like the Economic Stimulus Plan.

  Dow industrials drops more than 200 points. Street snubs stimulus plan.

• 19. Diana Powe  |  January 17th, 2008 at 2:16 pm

  Retired Spook,

  Speaking of people taking a bow. Take a bow! That was very well stated. I have always tried to be civil and address people by whatever moniker they use. I’m also conscious about using valid forms of address. Regardless of my 13-year-long low opinion of his politics, I normally refer to the current occupant of the White House as the President, President Bush or President George W. Bush. I will confess to the use of sarcasm, but normally only in response to the name-calling one can find here.

  My “gotchas”, if you will, are generally prompted by what I see as unsupported and sweeping generalizations that set up these cartoon cutout villains that some enjoy showing their ability to pummel mercilessly. It’s not that some American A out there might actually hold View X, as evidenced by their saying something akin to “I hold View X”, that Commenter B objects to, thus causing Commenter B to write, “I think American A is wrong and I think View Y is correct”. It is that American A may or may not explicitly say “I hold View X” but Commenter B will want to write something like “All Those People who share some characteristic of American A hold View X and View Y and View Z and are therefore (some generalization) and are all beyond the pale.”

  I don’t think all people who think of themselves as conservative or Republicans are alike. Senator Barry Goldwater was a conservative and yet, I strongly suspect, he would barely recognize the conservatism of Congressman Tom Delay. Mark wants to give Senator Specter to the Democratic Party. Clearly, in the current Republican race for the White House, conservatives themselves are uncertain as to which candidate or candidates to allow into the conservative fold. My impression of being “conservative” and/or “Republican” is that those are simply words that are applied to many millions of people who can strongly disagree with each other, let alone with someone who calls themselves a liberal.

  However, it is simply a matter of routine here (where, as I have acknowledged before, I am a guest) that those who dissent with the views of Matt and Mark are deemed as being both individually “anti-American” and as being representative of (all) “liberals” or (all) “Democrats” who are (all) “anti-American” or somesuch. This does not typically lead to positive feelings.

• 20. anarchist  |  January 17th, 2008 at 2:35 pm

  “Sunny, clearly Wall Street doesn’t like the Economic Stimulus Plan.” - Retired Spook

  Understanding fed speak is an art. Bernanke isn’t nearly as good as Greenspan’s long confusing pointless ramblings. Saying “gimme an economic stimulus plan” was probably interpreted as “congress do something, because I’m not going to”. In other words, don’t expect agressive interest rate cuts. Wall-street likes low interest rates.

• 21. bagni  |  January 17th, 2008 at 3:24 pm

  markalicioso
  i was too lazy to refer back for exact dates, sorry
  but weren’t you the guy a couple/three weeks back
  saying how great retail was going xmas wise
  despite all the bad vibe in the media?
  yo
  was thinking about you a few days ago
  when reading the xmas retail reports
  didn’t pan out
  why don’t you start a thread on that?

• 22. Retired Spook  |  January 17th, 2008 at 3:49 pm

  I don’t think all people who think of themselves as conservative or Republicans are alike. Senator Barry Goldwater was a conservative and yet, I strongly suspect, he would barely recognize the conservatism of Congressman Tom Delay.

  Diana, don’t you think it cuts both ways? I doubt that John Kennedy would recognize the party of, dare I say, his own brother. Harry Truman was closer to John McCain than to Chuck Schumer.

  Clearly the Left and the Right in this country have some irreconcilable differences, but, as Newt Gingrich’s new organization, American Solutions, is illustrating, there are some things worth doing where at least the goal represents common ground. Or am I wrong?

• 23. SteaM  |  January 17th, 2008 at 4:11 pm

  Spook,

  I think that democrats, republicans, and independents of all ages just need to listen to each other and share ideas. We need better historical education as well. I am 30 and either my public school really sucked or I just wasn’t paying attention because I am running full speed trying to learn what I can about our history as a country. What has brought us to where we are? Has Southern Evangelicals taken over the government? Have war hawks taken over? What is the deal!

  I’ve learned a lot in the past few years. The internet is enabling us as a People to share our thoughts and actually do some research, fact-check, and stay current with what is going on. Independent news. We all know by now, or some of us know but won’t admit it, that the main news outlets are controlled by a small group of very rich people. We know that Fox is a Republican news network and it’s goal is to smear the “left” and make Republicans look good. Groups like Media Matters have done vast amounts of work to provide a free media watchdog service. We can now, almost on a daily basis, go there and hear, see, and read what was said that day by people on talk radio and television. It’s astonishing how much is said that is intended to confuse and blur facts, or things are said in a way that cause a hateful and angry response in the listener. For example, a very popular talk radio host speaks (in a very angry, loud, and histeric tone) about how Al Gore is “fat” and just plain stupid so of course he doesn’t know anything about what he’s talking about!!! Etc. People listen, they digest it, they get angry, and they spread that to those around them. Family. Friends. CoWorkers. Not everyone around them is going to listen to this. But a certain percentage will. Especially if it’s a father speaking to his ever-trusting and information-absorbing children. Who then spread it to their friends at school at elsewhere.

  There’s a lot of money in this business of spreading misinformation and hatred and anger in regards to anti-”liberal” speech. It makes a lot of people rich. Those who choose to listen and believe it all choose to live in ignorance with a blurred sense of reality. My church used to do this to me as well. Telling me, in a indirect manner, who to vote for. Sometimes based on issues like abortion and marriage. What happens when that church’s teachings about peace and love turn into telling young people who to vote for? Or even adults (who should do their research and know better)?

• 24. Diana Powe  |  January 17th, 2008 at 7:52 pm

  Diana, don’t you think it cuts both ways? I doubt that John Kennedy would recognize the party of, dare I say, his own brother. Harry Truman was closer to John McCain than to Chuck Schumer.

  Retired Spook,

  My point about conservatives and Republicans was not to denigrate anyone but just to say that I don’t view them as a monolithic entity. The words “conservative” and “Republican” don’t pin down someone to one clearly defined set of views.

  If President Kennedy didn’t recognize the Democratic Party I don’t think it would be for the reason that I suspect you would give. I imagine you would say something to the effect that Democrats have become wildly liberal (whatever elastic definition of that term was being employed) when the dominant trait of the Democratic Party today is not their being liberal but their unwillingness to actually do anything meaningful to act as an opposition party. Even now, the Senate Majority Leader is planning to renew his effort to ensure that the White House gets something they want desperately, which is a completely unprecedented retroactive immunity from the civil claims that are currently in the courts over most (but not all) of the telecoms cooperating with the NSA in conducting warrantless wiretaps. The current talking point on that is that they were just being “patriotic corporate citizens” which is complete nonsense since those same “patriotic corporate citizens” have pulled the plug on multiple FBI taps because the Government didn’t pay the bill in a timely manner.

  The point has been made on this blog many times that the Congress has had terrible approval ratings since November 2006. However, the problem is not the supposed
  “liberal” nature of the Congress since then but their all but total abdication to the desires of the White House.

  I do agree that there are common goals. There are relatively few conservatives that I would count as being someone I considered beyond any reasoning with, but I’m not sure that is enough. One can state a goal - America should have a fully adequate military force - and wildly diverge on what that actually entails.

• 25. Jeremiah  |  January 17th, 2008 at 8:01 pm

  SteaM,

  You left out ABC and the other MSM networks whose only purpose is to smear and denigrate the President. No to mention, allow filthy dirty language (ie-Good Morning America–The F-word was used and purposefully left in). This is prime indication that they are trying to advance their Secular/anti-Christian Left-leaning agenda.

  Their main goal though is to mislead majority opinion.

  ~ Jeremiah

• 26. Diana Powe  |  January 17th, 2008 at 8:06 pm

  Jeremiah,

  Were you also including the Fox News Channel in the phrase “other MSM networks” for all the sexualization of their coverage? If there’s a story about Hooters you can count on complete coverage from News Corp.

• 27. Jeremiah  |  January 17th, 2008 at 8:19 pm

  Were you also including the Fox News Channel in the phrase “other MSM networks” for all the sexualization of their coverage?

  Diana,

  No, of course not. Fox News lives up to their reputation - ‘Fair and balanced.’ They allow both sides to state their points of view. However, if Fox News were to allow the same things (Fowl language, Hate speech, etc, etc.) as the other other news outlets, the MSM, allow on their channels and defend them as the MSM, then Fox News would be no better than they are; but they don’t, which is the good part about Fox, they’re mostly all good Christian reporters who are fighting against the degeneration in America. I commend all of them for their excellent reporting.

  Sure! Fox News has some very upstanding, beautiful Lady reporters, but they are clean decent women, who don’t just “pretend” to be pretty. Their beauty is from the ‘heart’ … the way it should be. The Godly standard of beauty.

  ~ Jeremiah

• 28. Jeremiah  |  January 17th, 2008 at 8:27 pm

  Ooops! Mistake, mistake….that should have been Foul instead of “Fowl”. LOL! Bird Language.

  ~ Jeremiah

• 29. Retired Spook  |  January 17th, 2008 at 8:51 pm

  I imagine you would say something to the effect that Democrats have become wildly liberal (whatever elastic definition of that term was being employed)

  Actually, I think both parties have moved decidedly to the left in the last 20 years. You may disagree, but I would submit that it’s more denial than disagreement.

  when the dominant trait of the Democratic Party today is not their being liberal but their unwillingness to actually do anything meaningful to act as an opposition party.

  Why do you suppose that is? It’s pretty obvious that the Dems can talk the talk, they appear to be somewhat challenged when it comes to walking the walk. It’ll be interesting to see if the base of the Democrat Party holds them accountable next November. I wouldn’t bet on it. The GOP has a virtual monopoly when it comes to eating its own.

• 30. AAR  |  January 17th, 2008 at 9:54 pm

  Never believe or trust a slick talking used car salesman or a slick talking Liberal.

  There is no middle ground with Liberals. Allow Liberals to get their foot in the door, and they will soon destroy your house. Each concession to Liberals will be met with even more demands. Liberals will not stop until they have imposed their Liberalism, Socialism, values, lifestyle, and agenda on each and every person, and all aspects of society.

  Just as a cancer does not stop after destroying only a few parts of the body, Liberals will not stop until they have destroyed America’s traditional values, lifestyles, work ethic, military, and everything that made this nation great!!!

  Anyone who believes otherwise is fooling themselves!!!

  AAR

• 31. keefer  |  January 18th, 2008 at 4:50 am

  There is no middle ground with Liberals.

  Period.dot.bingo.

  Spook, you can moderate all you wish; I can’t stand these asshat trolls, and I refuse to find common ground with those who define common ground as “agree with my points, and we’ll call it bipartisanship.” This is Reidtard’s and Piglosi’s definition of “common ground,” or “consensus,” if you will.

  You want “common ground” with those who have no “common ground?” Good luck…