There's a brain on my desk!

[elfs]

Mike Huckabee: John McCain is your Lord and Savior!

In what has to be the most fascinating entry I've seen yet on the RNC, blogger Little Light takes apart Mike Huckabee's bizarre little homily about school desks and says

The lesson of Huckabee's story is that the desks can't be earned. You can't behave well enough to get one, work enough to get one, think enough to get one. It is impossible for you to deserve a place to sit before your teacher, see. ... This is the doctrine of "Grace, Not Works" or "Grace Alone," a theological position expounded during the Reformation, cuddled by Calvin, and popular among evangelical Christians. It's not a desk, it's a place in Heaven. And it's not soldiers we're talking about, it's Jesus Christ. [Mike Huckabee says,] "Ladies and Gentlemen, John McCain is one of those people who helped buy the freedom that we enjoy and the school desks we had." Has your jaw dropped to where mine was yet? Because I'm pretty sure, in this campaign where they're already painted the opposition as the Antichrist, they just labeled their candidate Jesus Christ.

The Republicans dictate lineup change at NBC

This annoys me in so many ways. The Republicans still have "their man Ailes" running the show over at FOX, yet the anti-liberal bias that has been around since Reagan introduced the "liberal media" meme thirty years ago still prevents NBC from having a "so-called" liberal host rise to prominence.

Besides, I don't find Olbermann "liberal." He's not. He's anti-authoritarian, which is different. He's revolted by the rise of authoritarianism in this country, and if he goes over the top (which he does) it's because he seems to be passionate about restoring this country to some semblance of liberty, justice and the rule of law. And his point is simple: The Republican Party is anti-liberty, anti-justice, and anti-rule of law. They have made the presidency into a cult and a seat of power greater than it was ever meant or deserves to be.

To decry Olbermann (and the more explicitly "liberal" Rachel Maddow, and Greenwald points out The New Republic recently did) is to buy into the notion that guys like Bill O'Reilly, Brit Hume, and Glen Beck, guys who routinely plant long, deep tounge-kisses on the hairy overfed asses of our oligarchs, are not "conservative" but merely telling it like it is.

Welcome to the Ministy of Truth.

Palin's gaffe on the campaign trail.

This is just embarassing. While trying to look at least vice presidential, Sarah Palin says that Fannie May and Freddie Mac had gotten "too big and too expensive to the taxpayers." Except they weren't costing the taxpayers anything; now they're gonna cost us something as the government bails them out to the tune of way too much taxpayer cash, but she clearly has no idea what the FM's do.

You'd think they'd get Marketplace up in Alaska, no?

The Parable of the Naked David Broder

No, really. It's funny. It explains a lot.

Churches urged to risk their tax-exempt status

The socially conservative Alliance Defense Fund is looking for "several dozen" church pastors to participate in "The Pulpit Initiative" on September 28th. The ADF contends that churches and pastors should be able to say what they mean to say without risking their tax-free status. I think this is a pretty big deal; I've never been happy with the idea that religious insitutions can take in cash and deliver a service without also paying taxes. (via The Revealer)

A fascinating look at life in a post-Islamic state

Although Hamas has imported outside, fundamentalist television stations and is starting one of their own, they can't seem to keep people from watching racy soap operas and reading Cosmopolitan. The overall theme of the article is that Islamism presents itself as a muscular alternative to traditional corruption, but after it has taken the reins of power, the citizens continue to be themselves and continue to enjoy the fruits of Western culture. There's a wonderful scene with a teenage boy who talks about how much he hates a Turkish soap opera that's "banned" but still widely watched in Gaza because it's "un-Islamic," and then gets outed because the ringtone on his cellphone is the show's opening theme.

Comments

[kengr]

I've never been happy with the idea that religious insitutions can take in cash and deliver a service without also paying taxes.

Alas, the alternative is worse. Look at the way taxation was used against unpopular churches in England and the rest of Europe.

Removing the tax exemption *in general* (as opposed to for politicking in forbidden ways) would swiftly lead to the folks in power finding ways to use taxation to control religion.

That's not speculation, that's *history*.

[mouser.livejournal.com]

I can't see them NOT using Olbermann in some other MAJOR capacity.

I can, however, imagine the conversation right after the RNC where Olbermann commented on the disgusting fearmongering 9/11 tape, and thinking that they have to have a face that appeared objective.

They're wrong, but I can imagine the conversation.


Edited to reverse the first sentence.

[theerik.livejournal.com]

"Besides, I don't find Olbermann "liberal." He's not. He's anti-authoritarian, which is different. He's revolted by the rise of authoritarianism in this country, and if he goes over the top (which he does) it's because he seems to be passionate about restoring this country to some semblance of liberty, justice and the rule of law. And his point is simple: The Republican Party is anti-liberty, anti-justice, and anti-rule of law. They have made the presidency into a cult and a seat of power greater than it was ever meant or deserves to be."

Their dirty little secret is that the Republicans are no longer conservative by any definition of the word. They're now the Authoritarian party. They try to keep the "conservative" label, since it's much more attractive to voters (and plays to their traditional themes), but they're now as you describe them - anti-liberty/justice/law, a cult of personality. Thus, Olberman is far more a threat to them than if he was actually liberal in any traditional sense, since he addresses directly those parts of their structure that they most want to downplay.

Republican party == Authoritarian party. Spread the meme.

The Parable of the Naked David Broder

[lisakit.livejournal.com]

Oh! So you're unbalanced. That explains so much!

Market Place on NPR

[pandakahn.livejournal.com]

4:00pm Monday through Friday.

I listen to it every time I am driving during the day.

The real issue is that Gov. Palin's gaffe shows how little she really does understand how the institutions of this country work.

She was all for the bridge to nowhere (hate that name as the bridge is important and got a bad rap and now that town is screwed and in trouble, all due to it becoming even more political.), she is a rabid anti-science creationist, she is anti-education, she is anti-choice, and how much of a failure as a parent is she if she was not even able to educate her daughter so that she could avoid an unwanted pregnancy?

BTW:
Levi and Bristol had broken up 2 month before the news broke, from what I have heard up here. I wonder what was used to get Bristol and her new BF to break up so that Levi could be dragged back to marry her? I have also heard the this may not be first pregnancy he is responsible for, but can't confirm that one yet. The idea that a 17 year old male is going to be forced into marriage so that his soon to be mother in law can win an election...

..yeah, sickening comes to mind...


MPK

[norincraft.livejournal.com]

Republicans .... Authoritarians... either way the party has undeniably discovered the secret for success by concentrating on the personalities rather than all the confusing and debatable issues. Add to that co-opting a message and claiming it for themselves, criticizing the opponents' strengths, outright fabrication of 'truth' while controlling their candidates' image. Little wonder why people so angry at a president and his party are willing to line up for more.

Sad thing is, I personally think the Democrats would do the exact same thing too if they were any good at that sort of stuff.

If partisanship (I can't call it politics as it doesn't meet the minimum standard) is really just smoke and mirrors and the vast majority buys to the same old same-old, I don't see this turning out well.

But we will get the government we deserve either way.