CCB. Cut, Cap, and Balance, or Catastrpohic and Complete Bull?

An absolute must-read from BillyBlog.

Like Suicide - Acoustic Version

Soundgarden on tour and coming to Rock Band 3, plus the debt limit crisis, and I thought of this:

In Lieu Of The Corporate Media's Idiocy

I strongly recommend listening to the discussion with Dean Baker here. Skip to 16:50 to hear it. If you don't, I warn you, you'll have to endure Mitch McConnell getting it horribly, horribly wrong.

You Can Sue The Dummy, But Not The Ventriloquist

Another legal abomination brought to you by the extremist Roberts Court.

[via LG&M]

Boom. Roasted.

[via Instaputz]

To all you rabid anti-government types:

It is the refuge of a scoundrel to pretend to hate government, and further, to lie about the role that the American government — the richest and most powerful force for good in the long story of humanity — has played in the creation of the most profound economic engine ever, the America middle class. Notions of American greatness are inextricably intertwined with the American government, and anyone who claims that the government has only been an impediment to American progress is a liar, a fool, a rank opportunist, or a combination of the three. That GI Bill didn't create itself. That Interstate Highway System didn't build itself. Those astronauts didn't send themselves to the moon. Your grandmamma and them didn't get electricity in their farmhouse on their own initiative. Small business didn't create a vast system of free public education, because an educated population makes for good workers and consumers. That was the government. The miracle of the free market didn't end slavery, or solve the pernicious problem that followed of grotesquely institutionalized racism. Nor did the free market end child labor, and decide that food and worker safety were critical values to a civilized society, and essential to a civilized standard of living. That was the government, too. 

I (and the millions we've killed or enslaved) am not so sure about the "force for good" thing, but this is otherwise spot on.

The Tea Party Caucus Takes On The Debt Monster

Breaking video of the brave Tea Party Republicans' plan to save the economy by allowing the U.S. to default.

Dis And Dat

First, one of the best lines ever, from John Cole of Balloon Juice: "When I need a medical procedure done, I often consult two doctors, and then I check with a needle junky and a crack whore. Just so I have a wide array of opinions and can keep my options open."

On Being Poor In America

[via Balloon Juice]
This makes me too angry to write about. So just read these links:

Man Jailed For Cashing A Check.

5 Things No One Tells You About Being Poor.

End Of An Era

The space shuttle had its final launch today. I'm too lazy/busy to look it up, but I'll bet there have been important gains made from the program. That said, here's how I feel about it.

 

Sister killed her baby cuz she could afford 2 feed it
And were sending people 2 the moon

You see men sailing on their ego trip,
Blast off on their spaceship,
Million miles from reality:
No care for you, no care for me.

Parable Time

Your car has a flat tire. You take it to Barry (who is half-black) & John (white)'s Auto Shop. John wants to demolish the car. Barry thinks to himself, "I know the tire is the problem, and that demolishing the car is idiotic and insane. But John is my partner, and everyone wants me to get along with him, despite the fact that he poisons my coffee every morning, tells customers I am the anti-Christ, and probably really hates black people."

Hope, Change, And Economic Stupidty

Barry O. - "Government has to start living within its means, just like families do. We have to cut the spending we can’t afford so we can put the economy on sounder footing, and give our businesses the confidence they need to grow and create jobs."

He has no fucking idea what he's talking about. And he's still far preferable to any of the nutjobs running against him. We're fucked. 

A White Girl Died

Your elected officials get away with murder every day. Lots of kids die, every day. Some of them from bombs you paid for. If you weren't on the jury of the Anthony trial, then you have no idea what you're talking about. Maybe she did it, maybe she didn't. By all means, keep wasting your time on this tragic side show, but please don't pretend that you have some greater insight into the "justice" system or that you know what really happened. And by all means, please stay focused on this trivia and continue to do nothing about the mass violence and destruction going on every day in this country and around the world with your tax dollars to fund it. Please remember how absurdly privileged your life is if you had the time to follow this crap. And don't forget how lucky you are not to worry that your kids might be blown to pieces any time now.