Displaying 361 To 390 Of 466 Comments Weekend Music Thread – Springtime Spinal Tap – Rainy Day Sun » Posted By jjgravitas On April 7, 2012 @ 8:31 pm Remarks by the President at the A.P. Luncheon We need to end the Bush tax cuts — all of them — and return to Clinton-era taxation. Change the tax rules so that income from dividends and interest are taxed the same as other income. The rich use more public resources than anyone else, plus they depend on the rest of us for this society that they are able to exist in as rich people. Who do you think fixes their plumbing, grows and provides them with food and water, electricity, phone lines, cell towers, highways, even commerce … in a word, infrastructure. The rich would be nowhere without the infrastructure that WE provide for them. » Posted By jjgravitas On April 6, 2012 @ 3:31 pm GOP to Pass Voting Rights Act for Corporations Next up: voting rights for hedge funds. » Posted By jjgravitas On April 16, 2012 @ 12:34 pm Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s “Caskets R Us!” “Supreme” Court? More like “Extreme” Court! Seriously though, I think you’ve hit on something. If you think the medical industry has blown itself way out of proportion, look at the funeral industry. How much does it really cost to dig a hole and bury a dead guy in the ground. If you have your own plot of land, then nothing, right? But thanks to our privatized funeral industry, burying one dead guy costs thousands — for the embalming, the fancy coffin, the burial lot, the headstone. Cremation is simpler, more economical and the result can take up no space at all, unless you yearn for the urn. Universal Burial Care! Now there’s something I think we should all get behind. The funeral industry wouldn’t like it. But it makes perfect sense that care for the departed (“death care”?) should be handled by the state, i.e. the “community”, and not expect that it be left completely up to individuals. In the case of wrongful death, it could sync up seamlessly with law enforcement as they have to deal with murder victims and other victims of death by misadventure. » Posted By jjgravitas On April 8, 2012 @ 3:39 pm Harry Nilsson – I’d Rather Be Dead » Posted By jjgravitas On April 8, 2012 @ 2:55 pm Weekend Music Thread – Nature’s Way Spinal Tap – Rainy Day Sun » Posted By jjgravitas On March 15, 2012 @ 11:10 pm Promises Kept by President Obama Let’s hope there are enough people that look at the facts, and ignore the Republican spin, on Obama’s record. We in this country tend to have a very short attention span when it comes to politics. How many of us remember how close we were to economic collapse just before Obama took office? What would have happend if we had allowed General Motors to go Chapter 11, as they nearlt did? Romney has said publicly that we should have let GM collapse, and I wonder how Michigan feels about that? » Posted By jjgravitas On March 8, 2012 @ 2:02 pm This is my nomination for “Stupidest GOP comment of the week.” It was reported by CNN just the other day. In a stump speech, Newt Gingrich was criticizing the Obama administration’s inability to locate illegal immigrants, suggesting that they could do a better job by hiring the United Postal Service to send a package to each illegal immigrant, so as to let UPS find them for us. Good thinkin’, Newt. Let me see if I get this straight. The illegals, we don’t know who they are or where they are, but Newt thinks nevertheless we can find them by mailing a package to each one? Minus name or address? Does he think they all live at the Dead Letter Office? Please somebody tell me, as I really want to know.
» Posted By jjgravitas On March 15, 2012 @ 11:59 pm Interviews! We need more interviews! I love it how the GOP exposes the gaping flaws in their logic when they go public with their hate-button issues, such as their ironically termed “right to life.” They’re all about campaigning for the rights to life and to liberty … for some people anyway. But does the GOP ever recognize our right to the “pursuit of happiness?” No. Never. That would require that the “quality of life” also be included in the discussion. And what would “de-legalizing” abortion do to the quality of life? At best it would result in the additional births of thousands if not millions of babies to parents who don’t want them, who aren’t prepared, interested, or able to care for them. The majority of these unwanted children would be given up for adoption. How many of these republicans would be willing to adopt all these extra children? Not the politicians, I’m sure – they’re too busy standing up for their hate-button issues. » Posted By jjgravitas On February 16, 2012 @ 4:46 pm Why We Should Pay More For Everything Adlib, you make a very interesting point. The easy availability of cheap products made overseas is another example of a bubble economy. Remember when the bubble economy burst? That was the one made possible by the loosening of regulations for housing construction (think MacMansions) and for home loans. The bursting of that bubble put millions of people out of their homes and nearly destroyed the banking system, leading to the worldwide depression that we are still digging our way out of. For simplicity, let’s call this current bubble the import-export bubble, since that’s the crux of the issue. Cheap overseas labor is only part of what makes this possible. One must also consider how cheap and easy it is transport those goods here, thanks to the easy availability of jet fuel. Imagine what could happen when the rising cost of jet fuel makes air transport too expensive for transporting products, at which point import/exports would revert back to being dominated by ship or train, in both cases slower, more laborous, and also more expensive with the rising cost of oil. That would drive up the cost of imports even if the actual cost of manufacturing products overseas remained cheap. » Posted By jjgravitas On February 10, 2012 @ 2:27 pm Good point Khirad. It explains the sudden rise of Rick Santorum the family values nonsense he is spewing. The GOP can’t claim superiority on national security: they started two wars without being able to finish either of them or catch the guy responsible for pulling us into war in the first place. Obama is two for three, having ended the Iraq war and having finished off Bin Laden … he’d be three for three if he ends the Afgan war by Election Day. And the GOP can’t claim superiority in economics since the last time the last time they were in the White House they started with a booming economy and a budget surplus and finished with a collapsed economy and trillions of dollars in debt. And yet they somehow think they should be allowed to take over the Presidency again. On a family values ticket? Family values combined with racism, how do they manage that? » Posted By jjgravitas On February 10, 2012 @ 3:19 pm Good one, Adlib. Nice summary of what the GOP is all about. Too bad the folks in the middle of the country – the GOP’s base – can’t see the GOP for what they are. Their whole mission statement (admittedly) has been to make life as miserable as possible for the president and the rest of us and blame everything on the president, so that four years later we would vote the republicans back at the end of his term. We’ve been expecting them to do this all along. » Posted By jjgravitas On February 7, 2012 @ 9:57 pm Proselytizers. Gotta love ’em (not). Makes me wonder how all the other non-Mormons get by in that city. Do they have a club (non-Mormans Anonymous or something)? » Posted By jjgravitas On February 4, 2012 @ 5:29 pm Isn’t it ironic that the God-fearing Republicans, despite their claims to represent the Christian Right and their efforts to proclaim Christianity as the offical religion of America, seem to be more out of touch with God’s message than Everybody Else? Perhaps it is because they lack the “irony gene.” (begin Homer Simpson sarcasm voice) Surely it is not the Republicans’ job to minister to the poor … that’s the Church’s job (end Homer Simpson sarcasm voice). Hence the faith-based initiatives. La Grippe Almost forgot: Praise Jesus! 😉 » Posted By jjgravitas On February 2, 2012 @ 1:04 pm Weekend Music Thread – Let’s Stay Together This one was pieced together by I don’t know who using old animation from classic cartoons. The one you saw earlier – The Ghost of Stephen Foster – is an official Squirrel Nut Zippers video and is available on the SQZ’s Bedlam Ballroom enhanced CD. Several of their CDs were enhanced CD’s, and contained music video live performances and other stuff. Unfortunately they were made more than ten years ago, so the enhanced stuff doesn’t run so well on today’s computers (Apple might be a different issue but I don’t know). On their CD titled “Hot” they provided a music video for their song “Hell” in which featured antique marionette puppets (a red Satan was tormenting an old man wearing a nightgown). Haven’t seen it in years, but it was brilliant. They haven’t, but they really should release their videos on DVD. Since they have reformed, maybe there is a chance that this could happen. Here’s hoping. 😉 » Posted By jjgravitas On January 29, 2012 @ 3:21 pm Squirrel Nut Zippers – Pallin’ with Al » Posted By jjgravitas On January 28, 2012 @ 12:13 pm Periodic Table of Dangerous Elements: 2012 Election Edition Nicely played, Mr. KQuark. May I submit, for your approval, a new category of elements? I refer the the category “Maycomebackium”. This refers to a group of elements who do enormous damage to the public before disappearing, only to threaten to return every four years or so. » Posted By jjgravitas On January 22, 2012 @ 12:29 pm Weekend Music Thread – Southern Accents Yeah, I’m a big fan of the Zippers, have all their records up through their breakup around 2000 (I was so disappointed). But I hear they are reforming and have a new live album (which I haven’t heard or seen yet). I hope to hear more from the SQZ. #;^) Oh, by the way — if you like them, do the right thing and buy their CDs. Although the SQZ are too eccentric for your mainstream record store, their stuff is available online at Amazon.com. It’s worth it, believe me 😉 » Posted By jjgravitas On January 22, 2012 @ 12:12 pm Three from the Squirrel Nut Zippers (a ’30’s-ish jazz-punk band from North Carolina, with a lot of Crescent City influence). You’ll never hear these guys at a GOP convention. “The Suits Are Picking Up The Bill” “Put A Lid On It” “The Ghost of Stephen Foster” » Posted By jjgravitas On January 21, 2012 @ 7:38 pm John Fred and his Playboy Band – Judy In Disguise (With Glasses) (1968) » Posted By jjgravitas On January 21, 2012 @ 7:29 pm Johnny Rivers – Secret Agent Man (1966) » Posted By jjgravitas On January 21, 2012 @ 7:27 pm “Yeah, That’s the GOP Ticket!” – Can Romney Lie His Way Into the White House? The GOP amd its politiks, currently represented by Romney and his competition, are the modern equivalent of the murderous corruption of the Popes of the First Millenia. Freedom of religion anyone? » Posted By jjgravitas On January 18, 2012 @ 1:19 pm Revelations of a 24-Hour MSM Cycle Sounds like “Much ado about nothing,” to quote The Bard. » Posted By jjgravitas On January 13, 2012 @ 8:36 am Weekend Music Thread – Happy New Year 2012! Devo “Whip It” » Posted By jjgravitas On January 4, 2012 @ 11:13 am Kelly Willis – Whatever Way The Wind Blows » Posted By jjgravitas On January 1, 2012 @ 8:15 pm Alannah Myles – Love Is Alannah Myles – Still Got This Thing For You » Posted By jjgravitas On January 1, 2012 @ 8:13 pm Harry Nilsson: Joy » Posted By jjgravitas On January 1, 2012 @ 1:54 pm VOTE NOW: The Biggest Political F#%! Up of 2011 My vote for Stupidest New Catch-Phrase for 2012: “Legitimate Rape.” » Posted By jjgravitas On December 29, 2012 @ 1:41 pm Coalition of Church and State: Rick Santorum As I write thiws I am seeing a report that the Iowa vote is tied between Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum. A tie is not surprising given the horrible candidates the Banana Republicans have to offer. All this time and effort and none of them have had anything real to say. Nothing but but pandering to the conservative religious right. Pew. » Posted By jjgravitas On January 3, 2012 @ 11:48 pm Weekend Music Thread – Merry Xmas 2011! Ray Stevens – Santa Claus Is Watching You (1962) » Posted By jjgravitas On December 25, 2011 @ 12:12 amComments Posted By jjgravitas
Clinton-era taxation won’t give us the great economy they had back then, but it would go a long way toward fixing the deficit.
You want to prove you are a supporter of the “right to life”? Adopt a child. Not just one, but several.
Buy American!
One problem with that plan: it isn’t working! Jobs are being created, unemployment is going down, corporations have been discussing plans to bring outsourced jobs back to the USA.
Instead of helping them to rise, the GOP’s bubble of insane negativity is causing them to sink like a lead zeppelin.
When the poor get sick – very sick – they go the free clinic – the one that’s still in business, anyway. Otherwise, they have to self-diagnose, and self-medicate. That’s what I had to do thie year. I had a horrible chest cold. Or perhaps it was pneumonia. I didn’t know because I couldn’t afford to pay a doctor to diagnose me. All I knew was I was drowning in phlegm, coughing my guts out, and unable to sleep because that was when the symptoms were at their worst. By the way, “free clinic” is a misnomer. It isn’t really free, never was.
Interesting that Romney has nothing to say about the very old. I guess it’s because there is rich-old, and then there is poor-old. This is when life is at its most Dickensian. In other words, the middle class vanishes. If you are rich-old, you are pretty much ok, but if you were more or less middle class while you were young, by the time you are old, you are POOR, dude. Living off whatever is left. No doubt about it. Silas Stingy. But you can still vote. If Romney knows this, he’s probably freaking terrified of us. That’s why he hasn’t said anything. Or he thinks we are all idiots, hence the lame attack ads, all based on false premises. In any case, screw Roomney and screw the entire Republican Party. They’re in it for nobody but themselves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmk7-noVaY0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ar6YHaH3zs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdAt4qWvz_8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qecr_WB8M2E
«« Back To Stats Page
Home Stats