BadFiction - a look at bad movies and worse politics

Dispatches from Birtherstan - 23-27 December 2010

Happy holidays to my readers.

Idiocy doesn't seem to sleep or take time off for the holidays (not surprising, since the birthers seem to be doing their best to drive off their own relatives). We have Mario Poperni calling out Lakin, (which should piss the birtherstani off).

Polland/Polarik has a new video with an even more weird claim. Darren Huff wants his case dismissed. And a pony. The dictionary has a picture of Dr. Kate next to the word "Projection". Margaret Hemenway is whining about her pet Lakin being sent off to the United States Disciplinary Barracks. The Pest and eFail is still whining about Lakin as well and having their readers harass the military officers involved.

Lame Cherry continues to spout nonsense. The Pest and eFail whines that the military is following the law and Constitution rather than ignoring both to remove Obama right this very second. In the birtherstani civil war, the judge warns both Berg and Orly they're dancing the sanctions dance. New Hawaiian Governor Neil Abercrombie plans to take on the birtherstani, and the birtherstani get more immature as a result. A new way to part the birthers from their money is started. The Pest and eFail hopes that Allan West will be their next Great Dusky Hope. Neil Sankey claims not to be a nut and a conspiracy theorist, while acting like both.

Neil Turner spends Christmas calling for the United States Military to mutiny. Anti-Semitic internet outhouse Andy Martin wants to run for President in 2012. Dr. Kate complains that the media seems fixed on things like "reality" and "facts". Lucas Smith may need to be on the side of a milk carton along with Larry Sinclair. Lame Cherry continues to vomit forth word salad. And Dr. Orly comes up with "Lakin - The Musical!!"

No, Really, she has. And is paging Sir Andrew Lloyd-Webber. Baron Lloyd-Webber to help her with it.

*FACEPLANT*

The Triumph of the Narrative

Took a day to digest the results of the midterms.

Now, historically speaking, the results aren't very surprising. And for all the claims of a "enthusiasm gap" the percentages weren't very much.

What did strike me as odd as that, even as voters were electing GOP and Tea Party candidates, polls were also saying that the majority of voters didn't much LIKE the GOP, and that the policies of the Bush II administration are still seen as much of the reason for the state of the economy. If there's a message here, it's "Okay, fine, you want to try and fix it, go ahead. We still don't like or trust you."

The GOP may have a problem though. The party of no has to show they can govern now - and Clinton-era stalling and partisan witch hunts may backfire on them.

However, something that kept running though my mind yesterday was "The triumph of the narrative". All during the election cycle, the GOP candidates and Tea Party talkers kept saying things like "reduce the size of government". "cut spending". "go back to the Constitution". And "restore freedom".

What they didn't say was what any of those things mean - or how they were going to do it. They promised rainbow sparkle ponies and glitter, without mentioning how they were going to get those ponies. (And certain types in the Democratic party were pouting and staying home because THEY thought they were going to get rainbow sparkle ponies in 2008, and are upset because those ponies haven't shown up yet)

At the same time, the Tea Party types are going to want their pound of flesh as soon as possible. At the very least, they want all the bad things they believe Obama has been doing to be reversed yesterday, thank you. At the most, they want impeachment and Obama gone by the end of the year if not sooner. And you have some members of Congress (Issa, Bachmann), who have stated that the only thing the next Congress should do is investigate EVERYTHING Obama has ever done and rehash long dead and long debunked claims and conspiracy myths.

And that's not counting the GOP leadership who have openly stated that the goal of the next Congress is to make sure Obama is a single term president. Add all that together, and you know very well we're looking at a return to the Whitewater witch hunts of the 1990's, then they spent millions of taxpayers dollars looking for anything they could pin on Bill Clinton.

The reason it's the triumph of the narrative is that most of the things they believe Obama has done have been the precise opposite of what Obama has actually done. They scream "socialist", but many of his policies wouldn't have been out of place in the Reagan administration - and in any other country, "socialist" Obama would be seen as hopelessly conservative. But that's not what the narrative says. The narrative screams "death panels" and "he's raising your taxes" and "government takeover" and "he's not protecting our borders!"

But none of that is true.

Dispatches from Birtherstan - for 2 November 2010

It's election day 2010 in the United States. If you haven't voted already, get out there and vote!

As of this writing, the GOP is expected to take the House by a small (but not narrow) margin, with Democratic control of the Senate (though seats will be lost there). This is typical midterm behaviour. Of course, the birtherstani and teahaddists won't be happy unless there's a clean sweep of every single Democrat and moderate Republican, followed by immediate impeachment hearings on 3 November. Expect screams of "voter fraud" if the Democratic party retains the House and Senate. Expect screams of "voter fraud" if the GOP gets either or both by small margins. Expect screams of "voter fraud" irregardless of the results.

If the GOP does gain the House and/or Senate, they're going to have to show they can lead in ways other than being the obstructionist "Party of No". If they don't manage that - or try the Clinton era approach of constant investigations and threats of impeachment - it may well serve as a reminder in 2012 what things were like during the Bush II administration. Which can only help Obama win re-election in 2012.

It's interesting to note that Obama's midterm approval ratings are on a par with Clinton's and Reagan's at the same point in their presidency. Carter and Bush I had better ratings at their midterms - and ended up being single term Presidents. Bush II was higher, but that was a year after 9/11 which skewed the results.

As for birtherstan, we have Dr. Orly getting "honored" by the OC Weekly. Walter Fitzpatrick proves the Mark Twain quote. The Pest and eFail wants money for poor ol' Walter. And Philip Berg is trying to spin his fail.

Dispatches from Birtherstan - for 7 October 2010

Today's (slightly late dispatches) has a birther actually threatening to assassinate the President of the United States, thereby promoting him to automatic sainthood among the birtherstani. Also Dr. Kate's conspiracy mongering. Birther whining that Saint Sarah Moosekiller won't take them seriously. GOP whining that NRA is daring to endorse pro-2nd Amendment Democrats. The Poodle-Brained one piddles on the carpet of public discourse again. Looks like the Pest and eFail managed to fail their move. And another broadside in the birtherstani civil war.

3 October - One might think that "Dr. Kate" sees conspiracies in the dust bunnies under her bed.

"Are there a series of rolling false flag events scheduled for October 2010, and are they already underway? Are the forces behind Obama and the demo-socialists desperate enough to manufacture events to retain their power? If so, what are they going to do?"

To answer your questions, no, no, and it doesn't matter, you'll make something up.

"Articles on this blog and many others have described the New World Order, the network and methods of Brzezinski, how the left has risen through its foundations, think tanks, its financiers, and use of the Cloward-Piven strategy and Alinsky techniques."

Not to mention the Gnomes of Zurich, the Bavarian Illuminati, and fluoridation contaminating our precious bodily fluids.

"The recent ‘disclosure’ of Obama’s use of anti-depressants and being severely depressed (i.e., emotionally disabled and incapable of holding the office, in addition to being ineligible) accomplishes what, exactly? Sympathy? An aura of ‘normality’? A distraction?"

More like "completely made up bullshit from an utterly unreliable source"

And speaking of made up bullshit....

"Quantum Leap
Monday, October 4, 2010, at 6:29 pm
He’s on schizophrenia medicine and has been since fall of 1981.
He is clinically schizophrenic. That’s why he is always so giggly mellow except when the drugs are wearing off.
Hell, for all we know he’s prolly on a cocktail of pills."

And where did you get this information? Your breakfast cereal?? The screaming pixie inside your heating vent?? Or did you see the words written in chemtrails across the sky??

Separated at Birth??

Rielle Hunter, mistress of John Edwards

And

Dr. Orly Taitz, DDS, CFCP

The Return of Lady Lynn

From the PUMAverse, a blast from the past. The woman who called Obama an "elitist", Lynn Forester (real name, Lady Lynn Forester de Rothschild, Lady Rothschild), does a petulant "I told you so" at the Daily Beast.

And much of her rant really boils down to "why didn't you little people listen to people like me and vote for "Dear Hillary" or John McCain???"

"The failures of the Obama presidency were clearly telegraphed by the Obama candidacy"

You mean the failures that defeated Hillary Clinton in the primaries, John McCain in the general election, and has seen Obama moving forward on Clinton's pet project of healthcare. Those failures??

"I hate to say it, but I told you so."

Oh come on. You and your fellow PUMAs have been praying every night for chances to rub people's noses in the fact that they didn't pick "Dear Hillary" or John McCain.

"Back in September 2008, as a lifelong Democratic Party loyalist and activist, I backed John McCain; I told The New York Times, “I love my country more than my party.”"

"...and I had sour grapes that that uppity darkie had claimed "Dear Hillary's" rightful place Who does he think he is anyway?? Doesn't he know his place??

"But I knew it was my only choice, given the decision by the Democratic Party establishment to reject 18 million voters in favor of the inexperienced and ideological Barack Obama."

And here we see one of the oldest and most classic PUMA lies. And one that was literally one of the first I debunked The only way one can get to the 18 million claim for Hillary is by adding up the Popular Vote, PLUS the caucus estimates, including Michigan, and ignoring the uncommitted vote in that state. Then and only then do you get:

Obama - 17,869,542
Clinton - 18,046,007
Winner - Clinton +176,465

Remember, Obama wasn't on the ballot in Michigan due to that state's moving up the primaries and every Democratic challenger EXCEPT Hillary Clinton agreeing to not campaign in that state.

When you figure in the uncommitted as Obama votes, it goes to 18 million EACH:

On the shore of the river denial - Birther Update

In today's dispatch from Birtherstan, CEL3 shows he's a gorram idiot for love, (or in general, reality). Dr. Orly files a new case and gets mocked by the freepers. Zampolit Charlton continues his propaganda campaign to rally the party faithful, with daily excursions to WTF camps for loyal birther party members. Walter Fitzpatrick gets told "no" by a real grand jury and spins this into Yet Another Conspiracy against him. The Fantasy Tiddlywinks league shows a lack of historical knowledge and wants to do a fund raiser. Mother Jones magazine reports on the "millions of dollars spent" claim and finds it as fake as the rest of the Birtherstani's claims. HillBuzz tries to fish in birtherstani waters, and the LA Times reports on World Nut Daily and its conspiracy-addict founder.

But first a song in honor of Orly Taitz (warning, language may not be safe for work)

24 January - Love's fires die slowly in the heart of CEL3:

"...I think it is MUCH more likely that Orly will be sanctioned than I. I think she has lied in Court, under oath, and done so with the knowledge and informed collaboration of counsel. She may have done a lot of strange things—and all to no possible purpose other than assassinating me, Lisa Liberi, Lisa Ostella, Philip J. Berg, and I have no idea how many others. Does it not damage her credibility that, according to Orly apparently, virtually EVERYONE in the United States (except for her and her supporters and friends and immediate family), yes that’s right, every Man, Woman, and Child from the President on down—are each apparently guilty of forgery and fraud?"

The mistake is that you're operating under the belief that Dr. Orly HAS any credibility. But it gets better:

"I feel that I am in a science-fiction movie with Orly Taitz, and that the quest is to discover the reality about who is good and who is evil. It’s not easy. In fact, it’s proving more difficult to sort through than global warming and climate change, because the personalities involved are so personally familiar to me, especially now….especially Orly’s, yet my grasp on the complexity of the situation is equally evanescent."

Just about every birther out there can be placed on a scale ranging from "sadly mistaken" to "utterly delusional". I don't think Dr. Orly is evil per se, but I believe her very obvious mental illnesses and delusional paranoia make her act in ways that can be seen as evil.

Afterthoughts

Thinking about it overnight, I realized something. Something that's gonna piss off the PUMA kitties.

Coakley made the exact same mistake Hillary Clinton did. She went into the race thinking it was a done deal, that she was the inevitable winner, and went on cruse control the entire race. Her entire campaign was tainted by this thought, that they didn't have to work for the win. Even down to allowing her opponent to define her rather than challenging that definition.

And like Hillary Clinton, by the time Coakley realized she had a fight on her hands, it was too late. Even at the end, when the polls saw her tanking, it seems like Coakley figured "the internal polls say otherwise" and put up a token fight at best

Brown, on the other hand, took a page from Obama's playbook. He posed himself as a change candidate, defined the opposition, and worked hard for his win. (It's telling that some of his supporters were calling him the "White Obama" - shades of the "great white hope"!)

Better the wake up call now than in the mid-term elections or in 2012, but damn it, the Democrats have got to stop with the circular firing squad, have got to listen to the voters and not the corporations, have got to stop trying to play nice, have got to stop fretting about "60 vote supermajorities" and "bipartisanship".

Because here's a newsflash - bipartisanship only works when the other side is willing to work with you. And the GOP has made it their stated goal to do everything they can to cause this administration to fail. They're not interested in playing nice or fair or even in the rules.

So guess what Democrats - you still have a majority in the house and senate, so for the Gods' sakes USE IT!! Freaking grow a pair and a spine, because right now you're acting like a herd of castrated jellyfish with the leadership skills of a wet dishrag.

The Drums of Birtherstan - Birther Update

On the banks of the river denial, you hear the drums of the birtherstani natives, pounding out their erratic tribal rhythms and retelling each other the same myths and fairy tales over and over again.

Zampolit Charlton maintains his 110% fact free, trying to spin evidence that Obama was born in Hawaii, trying to keep Dr. Orly's buttocks nicely polished, and publish letters from fellow travelers on the treason train. Meanwhile Dr. Orly gets a "what part of no do you not understand" note from Judge Carter, while Dr. Levy tries to appeal the sanctions for her behaviour in Georgia. Internet Outhouse and Anti-Semite Andy Martin has a hissy fix about Wikipedia for printing things that are true about him. Poodle-brained Therese Daniels still has her fear of Muslims and seems to still be taking her dog's painkillers. CEL3 pens a "I love you, I need you, and I'm going to ally myself with your foes and publicly disgrace you if you don't do what I want you to do" letter to Dr. Orly. Philip Berg and Lawrence Joyce are still trying to get their noses in the door on the Hollister v "Soetoro" appeals, including some shots about Dr. Orly's unethical behaviour.

Which seems to me at first a case of pot calling the kettle black.

Though honestly, Dr. Orly is in a class by herself when it comes to "unethical behaviour"

16 December - "Spin spin, spin to my loo, spin spin spin...." sings Zampolit Charlton as he tries to spin additional proof that Obama was born in Hawaii.

"A second citizen-investigator has recovered a copy of a different Hawaii Newspaper from Aug. 1961, which contains the same birth annoucement for Mr. & Mrs. Barack H. Obama.

Page B6 of the August 13, 1961 edition of the Honolulu Advertiser reports the following birth annoucment:

Mr. & Mrs. Barack H. Obama, 6086 Kalanaianaole Hwy., son, Aug. 4."

(Scribd link here)

Where the Tea Parties get it wrong - and right

Recently I had a (largely civil) discussion with a couple of people in the "Tea Party" movement.

It was very intersting in places. Some of the things mentioned I agreed with, others I disagreed with. In some cases they didn't know some of the backstory involved, (example: they had thought the "tea bag" phrase was a liberal insult and didn't realize until I showed them proof, that it had dated back to the start of that movement BY certain of it's founders.)

What struck me though was their insistence that it was a movement open to everyone and that it didn't have an ideological drive to it, but was a mix of Democrats and Republicans, Liberals, Progessives, Libertarians, and Conservatives).

It's an interesting belief, but not one supported by the evidence. For example, let's look at the groups that organized the 9/12 tea party in DC.

FreedomWorks (ran by Republican Dick Armey)
Americans for Tax Reform (ran by Neo-Conservative Grover Norquist)
National Taxpayers Union (Taxpayers advocacy group, founded by James Dale Davidson. Grover Norquist served as executive director, and the current one is Republican George Snyder.)
The Heartland Institute (Libertarian / Conservative thinktank)
ResistNet (Social network of Grassfire.org, which claims to be "one of the nation’s fastest growing conservative online action networks", and which defines itself specifically as anti-Obama)
Tea Party Patriots (Which is grassroots independent, however it's founder jumped ship and now works for the "Tea Party Express", which is funded by the Conservative Our Country Deserves Better PAC)

Then there is the signs at the protests. Not to mention the hatred shown a holocaust survivor who dared express displeasure at a sign equating Obama's health care plan to the Holocaust.

And Conservative businessman David Koch admitted that is was his "Americans for Prosperity" conservative advocacy group that helped fund the Tea Party movement.

"But it was the prominence of Koch, who praised the activists for fueling a “strong, principled, freedom movement,” which revealed the degree to which conservatives have dismissed the “astroturf” attacks that greeted the Tea Parties. The Friday and Saturday summit was the latest and largest attempt by one of the Washington-based groups shepherding the Tea Parties to proclaim themselves leaders of a political majority, and to turn the attention of newly discovered conservative activists to the 2010 elections."

While there may very well be Tea Parties that are open to all parties and political viewpoints, I can't help believe that, by and large, the movement is very strongly rooted in both far-right conservatism AND strong anti-Obama hatred. And I have to wonder strongly where many of these "Tea Party Patriots" were when George W Bush was spending taxpayer money like a drunken sailor, ballooning the debt, inflating the size of government, and planting big sloppy kisses on members of the House of Saud. Instead they uniformly cast this as a problem caused by Obama, his "socialistic attitude" and "tax and spend liberals"

But here's the kicker:

By and large, the underlying distress that the people at the Tea Parties show is quite real.

In the last 30 years we've seen the middle class in this country being eroded. We've seen "trade agreements" resulting in jobs sent overseas, the systematic trashing of our manufacturing ability, collapsing infrastructure and runaway debt. I earn more than my father made, and yet my earning and spending power is far, far less than it's ever been. We've seen this nation go from being the world's largest lender nation to the world's largest debtor nation.

This is something that effects all Americans, Liberal, Progressive, Conservative, Republican, Democrat, Moderate, etc. And it is something that neither the Democratic Party or the Republican Party have clean hands on. There's quite enough blame to go around.

And if someone could actually cast this as an issue that effects all Americans of all political stripes, if they could cast this not in terms of liberal v conservative or democrat v republican, but AMERICANS as a whole being hurt badly by this erosion, then they would be a force that the entire government - and the economy as a whole - would be changed by. But it would take someone recognizing that all Americans, no matter what their political leanings are, are Americans first and foremost and that all of us would need to buy into this idea to make it work.

And as long as the Tea Parties remain co-opted by the far-right and the Obama haters, and as long as they're seen as an extension of the far-right, they're not going to get that buy-in from the vast majority of the American people.