From the "Me too" file.

Carl...

In fairness to Rick Santorum, everything he does makes me want to throw up.

When it comes to Rick Santorum, I figure all's fair, but otherwise, me too.

Good idea...

...from the folks at Freedom To Marry...



Here's the proposed plank...

The Democratic Party supports the full inclusion of all families in the life of our nation, with equal respect, responsibility, and protection under the law, including the freedom to marry. Government has no business putting barriers in the path of people seeking to care for their family members, particularly in challenging economic times. We support the Respect for Marriage Act and the overturning of the federal so-called “Defense of Marriage Act,” and oppose discriminatory constitutional amendments and other attempts to deny the freedom to marry to loving and committed same-sex couples.

I do, and my Party should.

The delay was caused...

...by no other reason than sloth. Herewith the random ten...

Rick Nelson - Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans
The Blues Project - You Can't Catch Me
Willis Alan Ramsey - Northeast Texas Women
Drive-By Truckers - Bob
Emmylou Harris & Don Williams - If I Needed You
The Zombies - Time Of The Season
Blaze Foley - Election Day
Electric Flag - Wine
Carrie Newcomer - Biscuits And Butter
The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band - Make A Little Magic

I like this one. Not my favorite tracks by any of the artists, but solid stuff from start to finish.

Signs of the times.

Via Chipsticks...

From the "Since you asked..." file.

Hunter is perplexed...

I swear, is there any conservative official in Arizona who isn't a national laughingstock at this point?

Since you asked, no. Not in Arizona, not anywhere in America, which is why ridicule is one of our most potent politial weapons.

Well, one of my favorite political weapons, anyway...

Chart of the day.

Via Ed Kilgore...



Seems like the 1% oughta love them some Kenyan socialism...

Heh™.

Darryl, liveblogging the debacle du jour...

6:41: Santorum, “Politics is a team sport, folks.” Newt’s thinking, “marriage, too!”

Lock up your daughters.

Gingrich plans stop in Washington this week

Chart of the day.

Via Ted McLaughlin...

It's all folk music…

…'cause, like Woody said, ain't nothin' but folks singin' it…

Derek Hoke - Still Waiting
Lou Ann Barton - Shake Your Hips
The Gibson Brothers - Ophelia
The Gourds - Hallelujah Shine
Carrie Newcomer - Biscuits And Butter
Tom Rush - Urge For Going
Kris Kristofferson - Help Me Make It Through The Night
Poco - Pickin' Up The Pieces
Jimmy Buffett - Miss You So Badly
Wilco - No Depression

From the "Since you asked..." file.

Blue Gal inquires...



Since you asked, no.

Not that that's altogether a bad thing. The more oftenly and openly they express their real motivation and intent, the more we win the arguement that we're mainstream, they're extreme.

Ain't it the truth...

Gordon...

The wingnuts use the Constitution the same way they use the Bible, as a tool to mislead the ignorant and uninformed whom they know have never read either of them.

Chart of the day.

Via the DNC blog...

Good question.

Fixer asks...

What if a group of Muslim Imams took exception to some policy of the Preident's, as opposed to the Catholic bishops?

24 years ago today...

...the brilliant and beautiful best friend of Upper Left became the Brilliant and Beautiful Bride of Upper Left.

I'm lucky in love. Happy annivaliversary, Sweetie!

What Barney said...

...about Newt? Goes double for Frothy.

Mornin'...

Some random tunes while I get ready for double duty at the perfect tavern.

The Drifters - Sweets For Me Sweet
Robert Earl Keen - Travelin' Light
The Band - Stage Fright
Tim O'Brien - Farewell Angelina
Rickie Lee Jones - Lazy River
The Texas Tornados - Who's To Blame, Senorita?
Kris Kristofferson - Why Me
Guy Clark - Maybe I Can Paint Over That
Todd Snider - I May Smoke Too Much
Greg Brown - Freak Flag

Speaking of freak flags, my hair is now longer than it's been in nearly forty years, as I work on a sort of pact to grow at least ten inches for the folks at Locks Of Love. I have to confess, though, that what seemed like a tonsorial expression of individuality and independence in my twenties is kind of a nusiance in my sixties. Still have lots of hair, though, and it's a good cause...

From the "One can only hope…" file.

The Vatican is worried about Americans living the American way...

...the pope is especially concerned that if such a policy is implemented, and if Americans continue to not give a damn about what the Church has to say on such "intrinsically evil practices" as contraception—as the vast majority of American Catholics don't—this will "delegitimize the Church's participation in public debate."

I hope he's right, because the Catholic church, as a church, should have no legitimacy in public debate at all. Catholics as citizens do, and their religion may inform their opinions, but the church? That's exactly what "no establishment of religion," any religion, is all about.

Look for the union label.

Via The Daily Olympian...

The Washington State Labor Council is giving an early campaign endorsement to Jay Inslee in the governor's race. The decision followed a vote by council delegates meeting in Olympia today. The council also endorsed U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell for a third term and Bob Ferguson for attorney general.

Unsuprising choices, perhaps, but a ticket this strong consoldiated this early is an encouraging sign for Democrats at every level.

Congratulations to the candidates and Council alike for getting this done.

Yep.

Chris Hedges...

"The Black Bloc anarchists, who have been active on the streets in Oakland and other cities, are a gift from heaven to the security and surveillance state."

Well said. Every manifestation of the Occupy movement needs to condemn the Black Block provocateurs wherever and whenever they emerge.

Hat tip to artistdogboy.

Quote of the day.

Vice President Biden...

"Osama bin Laden is dead and General Motors is alive."

OK, it's not new, nor original to the Veep, but it's true.

Heh™.

Paul Constant...

Gingrich sure does love open things—marriages, conventions, Newt Gingrich's mouth.

Chalk up another one...

...for the good guys. The 9th Circuit panel speaks...

"Although the Constitution permits communities to enact most laws they believe to be desirable, it requires that there be at least a legitimate reason for the passage of a law that treats different classes of people differently. There was no such reason that Proposition 8 could have been enacted.”

No, it's not over. It's never over, until the last, well, it's never over.

It's points on our side, though, and worth celebrating. Maybe no parades, but a cheer, anyway.

Analogy of the day.

Bill Maher, via Liberal Values...

Atheism is a religion like abstinence is a sex position.

God knows it's true...

Third quarter update...

Your team sucks.

Madonna rocks.

From the "Hooray for us!" file.

Our little outpost in the upper left corner of the map has been, erm, tapped as TAPPED's State Of The Week.

Hooray for us!

As usual...

...there's some unusual stuff in this week's random ten...

Old 97's - Champaign, Illinois
Lyle Lovett - If I Had A Boat
Laura Nyro - Nowhere To Run
Julie Miller - Broken Things
Dean Martin - Sway
Donovan - Wear Your Love Like Heaven
Devon Sproule - Turnstiled, Junkpiled
The Platters - The Great Pretender
The Band - Young Blood
Johnny Horton - North To Alaska

It's time to primary Paul Shin.

If you weren't sure before, the transparent dishonesty of the word salad he's tossed for the Senate Democrats' blog should convince you.

You voted against my daughter's civil rights out of respect for her, Senator? You voted against the civil rights of an entire category of citizens, including citizens in your caucus, in your delegation, and likely, whether you recognize it or not, in your family, in order to "foster unity and compassion"?

Spare me.

We can do better in the 21st.

A hearty hoo-rah…

…to the folks at VoteVets, who took the point in the campaign to keep fundie hatemonger William G. Boykin off the West Point podium...

LTG (Ret) William Boykin has decided to withdraw speaking at West Point's National Prayer Breakfast on 8 February 2012. In fulfilling its commitment to the community, the United States Military Academy will feature another speaker for the event.

This old soldier's glad to know that hate still isn't an Army value.

Good question.

Always a good question. Maybe the question. Robert Reich asks it this time...

What's the economy for, anyway?

We should all be asking it, all the time.

From the "Credit where it's due" file.

Dumb as he may be, Sherrif Dave apparently isn't as dumb as he might be...

U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Auburn, will not run against Democratic U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell this year, a high-level Republican source said Thursday.

From the "Since you asked..." file.

Chris in Paris inquires...

Whose side is Rick Santorum on here?

Since you asked, it's simple enough. Regardless of where "here" is, Rick Santorum is always on the wrong side and never on our side.

Marriage equality?

Not just a good idea, it's about to be the law…

7:58 p.m. "Mr. President, 28 yeas, 21 nays." (That's 24 Democrats and 4 Republicans voting yea, and 3 Democrats and 18 Republicans voting nay.) THE BILL PASSES. It now goes on to the state house, where it's assured passage, and then to the governor's desk, where it's assured her signature.

The good guys win again. The fundies are going to drag this to the ballot, but that's a fight we can win, too.

It's not the first time I've been proud to be a native Washingtonian, but it's one of the most satisfying. Hooray for us.

Score two for the good guys.

The Bellingham Herald's Jared Paben reports...

The bill that would suspend changes in the minimum wage during times of high unemployment failed to make it out of a state House of Representatives committee.

The same goes for the bill that would allow restaurants to pay servers less than Washington’s minimum wage if they would make that amount counting their tips.

Put it in the "Why majorities matter" file.

Analogy of the day.

Ian Murphy...

Polygamous, aggressive when threatened, and insulated by a thick layer of blubber, Newt Gingrich is the walrus of American politics…

Really deserves the attention of someone with better Photoshop skills than I possess.

Drifty? Bluegal, maybe?

Newt. Nailed.

Or, "Buddy, can you buy a book?" Jonathan Bernstein, on why the grifter ain't going away...

Remember, you need an enormous number of votes to be elected President of the United States, and quite a few votes to be nominated for that office. But you can make a very good living off of a fairly small number of dupes, as long as they're rich enough and willing to keep shelling out for every new product you come up with.

So all in all I'm not really sure where Newt's incentives lie, other than to say that I'm quite certain that he really, really knows his marks and what works with them.