Worth Considering

The more we convince ourselves that it's a big scary world; that we live in a country falling into lawlessness and chaos; that the system is corrupt; that there's danger at every turn -- the more we allow ourselves to be spooked (for good reason or otherwise), the more likely we are to be stampeded into the arms of whoever is running as the Daddy-State-Law-n-Order candidate.  Sound familiar?

I'm not saying everything's peachy - don't gimme that False Dichotomy bullshit - I am going to say that when things aren't as good as they should be, there's change in the air and politicians can smell it, and they'll pimp that up in order to get the crowd moving so they can shift power from one thing or person to some other thing or person. This is about power because it's always about power.

So at the risk of putting myself up for Mr Wishy-Washy: some things are OK but not nearly as good as they oughta be, while some things are pretty bad, but not nearly as bad as some politicians (and their surrogates and their fans) need us to believe they are. 

The real point is that we've been here before.

So let's try a little harder not fuck it up this time.

Today's Pix

Oops

Tim Kaine has been praising the Trans Pacific Partnership and has been pushing hard to get it approved. Job killer!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2016

Trade means jobs, but trade also means security. The time has come for all of us to urge the swift adoption of the Trans Pacific Partnership

— Governor Mike Pence (@GovPenceIN) September 8, 2014

So yeah, OK, Pence's tweet was a coupla years ago, and maybe he's changed his mind, and maybe pixies will fly outa my ass and make the world conform to the liking of a rich legacy fuck like Donald Trump.

The guy has no sense of anything but his own instant gratification. 

hat tip = Politicus

America Was Great?

Today's Quote

Lovecraftian

hat tip = Bob & Chez

Today's Tweet

Remember this one next week, when the Right Radicals are all spluttering about whatever stoopid thing they pull outa their asses about Bill or Chelsey or "politicizing family" or blah blah blah.

I like imaging what certain Trump supporters would say if HillaryClinton accepted the Dem nomination with her 5 kids by 3 different men.

— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) July 23, 2016

And BTW - is John Fugelsang a fucking genius or what?

Quick View

And like Bob & Chez say, "Don't get happy, Liberals".  We get complacent, and Trump could win this thing.  Don't ever forget that the Press Poodles have a job to do that only includes "finding and reporting the truth" as an item on the list that comes well after "boost audience numbers" and "enhance revenue".   

False Equivalence + False Dichotomy = Both Sides = Dramatic Tension = Horse Race = Stay tuned, folks - you don't wanna miss a single exciting episode.

Never forget that very smart people spend billions of dollars every year on advertising because propaganda works.

Without substantial support from Capitol Hill, Hillary gets stonewalled just like Obama. So I'm gonna put away my misgivings and my suspicions for just long enough to vote for every fucking Democrat I can find.  

The point of the GOP strategy is to lock us into a Stockholm Syndrome kinda thing where we'll do whatever they want us to do if they'll just stop fucking it all up.

Get your asses out there and make it work.

Things Change

A few shots of acceptance speeches from fairly recent conventions

GW Bush 2000

McCain 2008

Obama 2008

Romney 2012

And then this

Today's Quote

Trump's acceptance speech gave the impression of an America so bleak and depressing, that Melania started to plagiarize a suicide note. --Bill Maher

I Am Bad Man

"Ask not vaht country do for you. Ask vaht you do for rich husband. And remember, jewelry up front every time is how to beat pre-nup."

--Melania Trump

Tune Break

Weird fuckin' week, man - I need a hot bath and mind-altering substances, and some kind of mental floss to get this shit outa my battered soul.

(getting in touch with my inner hippie - oohhmmm)

Take Another Hit --Quicksilver




White Bird --It's A Beautiful Day




Rain Song --Led Zeppelin




Love Not Fade Away (cover) --Grateful Dead




The Weight --The Band




Spirit In The Sky --Norman Greenbaum




Badge --Cream




Can't Find My Way Home --Blind Faith




I'd Love To Change The World --Ten Years After

Gettin' Old Ain't For Pussies

I'm stalking the thrift shops looking for a high-end adult Spider Man costume to hang in the back of my closet, just so I can fuck with myself in case Alzheimer's gets me. 

Rolling Right Along

So how's that hispanic outreach workin', guys?

"Conservatives" just don't do signs, I guess.

Keith Speaks

Could y'all quit fuckin' around and get Olbermann back on the air please?

Today's Tweet

pic.twitter.com/ThekTLdv4A

— Bloom County (@bloomcounty) July 21, 2016

It Comes Wrapped In The Flag

I love the flag so much, I cut holes in it so I could rub my sweaty armpits all over it.

I love wild animals so much, I bait them into traps and kill them and mount their heads on my wall so I can love them some more.

I love the natural world so much, I cut down the trees so I can see it better from my hot tub.

I love people so much, I keep their wages below poverty level so they can better appreciate the intrinsic rewards of hard work.

I love democracy so much, I want to make sure only those who are truly worthy of it are allowed to participate in it.

I love this big beautiful country so much, I wanna keep it all to myself, and I'm willing to shoot you dead if you say I have to share any of it with anybody who isn't just like me.

and on and on and on

hat tip = theatlantic.com

Run Ted Run

The party of Personal Responsibility, Self-Reliance and Rugged Individuality would like to remind you that "vote your conscience" is a slap in the face to all true Americans.

So, does this mean Ted will run Independent?

Ya Got Trouble

hat tip = FB pal GLD

Today's WTF

Charles Kinsey is a Behavioral Therapist.  He was trying to help a 20-something Autistic patient.  Somebody called the North Miami PD because they tho't the patient had a gun (it was a toy truck).  The patient "failed" to respond to officers' commands; Mr Kinsey knew enough not to abandon his patient; the cops apparently don't know one fuckin' thing except the use of force - so they shot Kinsey as he lay on the ground with his hands in the air.

Charles Kinsey must be wondering what else he needs to do in order to be included in the "all" part of All Lives Matter.

That's pretty fucked up right there.