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Comments from Left Field: Shameless lies, and the lying liars who tell them

Your Right Hand Thief: Drilling is my business...and business is good!

The Overhead Wire: Conservative anti-transit pundits are worried about the new interest in public transportation.

William K. Wolfrum Chronicles: Jesus quits Christianity after viewing the GOP platform

Inside Iraq: Is a blog updated by Iraqi journalists working for McClatchy Newspapers. They are based in Baghdad and outlying provinces. These are firsthand accounts of their experiences. Their complete names are withheld for security.

The Freewayblogger is on a West Coast Peace Tour

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Liberal AND Proud's picture

The anti transit positions, anti healthcare positions, anti assistance to the poor, anti education, anti environment....geeez...ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK...that is what must be done to these capitalist bastards. Fuck! As I said, if they could charge us for breathing...they WOULD.

Enough of this bullshit and pussyfooting around.

They want a culture war. Let's GIVE THEM ONE!!!

cobsjo's picture

Palin Billed State for Nights Spent at Home

Taxpayers Also Funded Family's Travel

ANCHORAGE, Sept. 8 -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has billed taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office, charging a "per diem" allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business.

The governor also has charged the state for travel expenses to take her children on official out-of-town missions. And her husband, Todd, has billed the state for expenses and a daily allowance for trips he makes on official business for his wife.

Palin, who earns $125,000 a year, claimed and received $16,951 as her allowance, which officials say was permitted because her official "duty station" is Juneau, according to an analysis of her travel documents by The Washington Post.

The governor's daughters and husband charged the state $43,490 to travel, and many of the trips were between their house in Wasilla and Juneau, the capital city 600 miles away, the documents show. [...]

More at WaPo

StirFry's picture

Obama/Biden 08
It ain't cheap running against an undignified smear campaign. F*ck all this high road sh*t. Calling all pro-Obama, anti-McCain 527's.

William K. Wolfrum's picture

Hey Mike, thank you so much for the love. You are a gentleman and a rocker.

More than that, even, thank you for not bringing up how John McCain's cheated on and divorced Carol McCain. This is an election about character, and that has no place in the discussion. Thank you for being above the fray.

;)

StirFry @ 3:

Obama/Biden 08
It ain't cheap running against an undignified smear campaign. F*ck all this high road sh*t. Calling all pro-Obama, anti-McCain 527's.

I've come to the conclusion that Obama should stick to the high road. If a clearly better candidate can't win this election while playing fairly, then this country's already lost its soul - screw us.

C. Hussein Jr.'s picture

cobsjo @ 2:

Palin Billed State for Nights Spent at Home

Taxpayers Also Funded Family's Travel

ANCHORAGE, Sept. 8 -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has billed taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office, charging a "per diem" allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business.

The governor also has charged the state for travel expenses to take her children on official out-of-town missions. And her husband, Todd, has billed the state for expenses and a daily allowance for trips he makes on official business for his wife.

Palin, who earns $125,000 a year, claimed and received $16,951 as her allowance, which officials say was permitted because her official "duty station" is Juneau, according to an analysis of her travel documents by The Washington Post.

The governor's daughters and husband charged the state $43,490 to travel, and many of the trips were between their house in Wasilla and Juneau, the capital city 600 miles away, the documents show. [...]

More at WaPo

Well, we KNOW her daughter "gets around", but billing the taxpayers for it ??
Geeez!

Alice X - (Chomsky Nader) - status quObama - change you can 's picture

Should journalists act in other than their own self interest?

Here is Glenn Greenwald on that very question.

YourMom's picture

Surging Blue Lensman @ 5:

StirFry @ 3:

Obama/Biden 08
It ain't cheap running against an undignified smear campaign. F*ck all this high road sh*t. Calling all pro-Obama, anti-McCain 527's.

I've come to the conclusion that Obama should stick to the high road. If a clearly better candidate can't win this election while playing fairly, then this country's already lost its soul - screw us.

Kerry took the high road, and yes, we are getting screwed.

Surging Blue Lensman @ 5:

StirFry @ 3:

Obama/Biden 08
It ain't cheap running against an undignified smear campaign. F*ck all this high road sh*t. Calling all pro-Obama, anti-McCain 527's.

I've come to the conclusion that Obama should stick to the high road. If a clearly better candidate can't win this election while playing fairly, then this country's already lost its soul - screw us.

I agree. If we can only succeed by pissing and moaning, then we have just become a pissing and moaning society, but that doesn't mean we each have to lower our own principles to that level.

C. Hussein Jr.'s picture

William K. Wolfrum @ 4:

Hey Mike, thank you so much for the love. You are a gentleman and a rocker.

More than that, even, thank you for not bringing up how John McCain's cheated on and divorced Carol McCain. This is an election about character, and that has no place in the discussion. Thank you for being above the fray.

;)

In McSame's defense, Carol walked with a weird limp and she couldn't move her arms above her head. Who would want to be stuck with someone like THAT ?

StirFry's picture

YourMom @ 8:

Surging Blue Lensman @ 5:

StirFry @ 3:

Obama/Biden 08
It ain't cheap running against an undignified smear campaign. F*ck all this high road sh*t. Calling all pro-Obama, anti-McCain 527's.

I've come to the conclusion that Obama should stick to the high road. If a clearly better candidate can't win this election while playing fairly, then this country's already lost its soul - screw us.

Kerry took the high road, and yes, we are getting screwed.

It's 2004 all over again. Abramoff was sentenced and McCain was directly involved that scandal. If it was Obama, the MSM would dig this up and it would be all over the place. I feel like we're Scumbag College against Footlights College, and I'm VyVyan. "I'm getting bloody sick of this!"

Is the Coast Clear?---'s picture

YourMom @ 8:

Surging Blue Lensman @ 5:

StirFry @ 3:

Obama/Biden 08
It ain't cheap running against an undignified smear campaign. F*ck all this high road sh*t. Calling all pro-Obama, anti-McCain 527's.

I've come to the conclusion that Obama should stick to the high road. If a clearly better candidate can't win this election while playing fairly, then this country's already lost its soul - screw us.

Kerry took the high road, and yes, we are getting screwed.

There is nothing wrong with fighting with the truth on your side...

You do not have to sacrifice your principals....

Or you can say "We suck again" and just let it go....

right on!'s picture

Liberal AND Proud @ 1:

The anti transit positions, anti healthcare positions, anti assistance to the poor, anti education, anti environment....geeez...ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK...that is what must be done to these capitalist bastards. Fuck! As I said, if they could charge us for breathing...they WOULD.

Enough of this bullshit and pussyfooting around.

They want a culture war. Let's GIVE THEM ONE!!!

AND... let's keep this election focused on the issues not the personalities, as the GOP and republicans would like. McSame and Caribou Barbie do not deserve any political win... they're lying liars who'd cheat their grandmothers to get themselves ahead.

right on!'s picture

cobsjo @ 2:

Palin Billed State for Nights Spent at Home

Taxpayers Also Funded Family's Travel

ANCHORAGE, Sept. 8 -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has billed taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office, charging a "per diem" allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business.

The governor also has charged the state for travel expenses to take her children on official out-of-town missions. And her husband, Todd, has billed the state for expenses and a daily allowance for trips he makes on official business for his wife.

Palin, who earns $125,000 a year, claimed and received $16,951 as her allowance, which officials say was permitted because her official "duty station" is Juneau, according to an analysis of her travel documents by The Washington Post.

The governor's daughters and husband charged the state $43,490 to travel, and many of the trips were between their house in Wasilla and Juneau, the capital city 600 miles away, the documents show. [...]

More at WaPo

Woohoo! This truthiness about Caribou Barbie just keeps getting better and better... we can see the woman who would be veep coming from the shadows. Crook, liar, republican!

DekeD26's picture

Obama is a pussy..and if that he can't or won't get of his ass and attack McSame, he will go down. More importantly, his sorry ass will take down 100 million or more of us with him. I'm a life time Dem, and a Viet Nam Vet, and I'm sick and tired of these weak-assed candidates we put out there on the nation stage. Until I see some fight out of Obama, I will not contribute one more dime to his campaign

This whole McCain/Palin thing has the atmosphere of a freaky horror movie. You just know something strange and frightening is going to happen any minute, so you stay in a state of anxiety, dread and yet some anticipation. That's the way I feel about their campaign. It seems any minute something will happen or something will come out about Palin that will snuff her fame flame. The fun is guessing what it might be.

right on!'s picture

William K. Wolfrum @ 4:

Hey Mike, thank you so much for the love. You are a gentleman and a rocker.

More than that, even, thank you for not bringing up how John McCain's cheated on and divorced Carol McCain. This is an election about character, and that has no place in the discussion. Thank you for being above the fray.

;)

Yeah, Mike... William's site is a great read! I read the one you posted and several others... excellent information. Thanks SO much!

right on!'s picture

C. Hussein Jr. @ 10:

William K. Wolfrum @ 4:

Hey Mike, thank you so much for the love. You are a gentleman and a rocker.

More than that, even, thank you for not bringing up how John McCain's cheated on and divorced Carol McCain. This is an election about character, and that has no place in the discussion. Thank you for being above the fray.

;)

In McSame's defense, Carol walked with a weird limp and she couldn't move her arms above her head. Who would want to be stuck with someone like THAT ?

Ouch! I look at it this way... McSame sold his soul to the highest bidder, kisses ass, and can't tell the truth to save his life. Who would want to be stuck with someone like THAT?!

DekeD26 @ 15:

Obama is a pussy..and if that he can't or won't get of his ass and attack McSame, he will go down. More importantly, his sorry ass will take down 100 million or more of us with him. I'm a life time Dem, and a Viet Nam Vet, and I'm sick and tired of these weak-assed candidates we put out there on the nation stage. Until I see some fight out of Obama, I will not contribute one more dime to his campaign

What do you want him to do? He can't get a baseball bat and beat him up. He can't attack him on his time in the military. He can attack his voting record. He can attack his plan for Iraq. He can attack him on these and so many other issues and he has.

Is the Coast Clear?---'s picture

pissed off patricia @ 19:

DekeD26 @ 15:

Obama is a pussy..and if that he can't or won't get of his ass and attack McSame, he will go down. More importantly, his sorry ass will take down 100 million or more of us with him. I'm a life time Dem, and a Viet Nam Vet, and I'm sick and tired of these weak-assed candidates we put out there on the nation stage. Until I see some fight out of Obama, I will not contribute one more dime to his campaign

What do you want him to do? He can't get a baseball bat and beat him up. He can't attack him on his time in the military. He can attack his voting record. He can attack his plan for Iraq. He can attack him on these and so many other issues and he has.

You don't have to attack...just use the clips that show McCain to be a doddering old fool...one picture worth thousand words....

Kevin Hayden's picture

The lttle man behind the curtain is the Wiztard of AZ. Run, Toto, run !

Tintin's picture

Why can't the Dems call it like it is? The Reps are the debt and spend party of big brother and big government. Not a word about the massive increase in debt. Not a word about the massive increase in pork. Not a word about the massive increase in government intrusiveness in EVERYTHING we do. Not a word about the massive increase in failed defense programs and waste. Oh yeah, most Dems are just fine with it as long as they get their share.

We are indeed screwed, but by both parties.

Don Rumsfeld hater's picture

Please print this out and check off the ones you think are true :
□ Sarah Palin told congress "Oh, you want to give my state hundreds of millions of dollars (to build a bridge)?? Hey Federal government" Sarah said,"you can take your hundreds of millions of dollars and shove it up your ass."

□ Sarah Palin referred to an island in her state as "Nowhere" even though Alaskans were living on it. This proves that she'd be good at dipomacy. The people who live on that island are -- NOBODYs

□ Sarah Palin told the federal government, "Thanks, but no thanks. We have hundreds of millions of dollars sitting around in Alaska if we decide we want such a bridge built."

□ Sarah Palin is damn sexy !
..............................................................................................
If you checked off the bottom one only - you got 100% on this little test.
If you checked off all 4 - you are a naive Christian republican who probably believes that Larry Craig is not a bisexual sex addict.

Sweet Al's picture

Saw this on the blog of Craig's List founder, Craig Newmark, yesterday:

ObamaTravel.org -- real grassroots democracy

Hey, this is a good example of genuine grassroots democracy:

ObamaTravel.org is a platform that connects volunteers who want to travel to a swing state with financial sponsors and swing state host families. It's sort of a political hybrid of craigslist and Team-in-Training - volunteers post profiles and solicit sponsorship from their family and friends. Sponsors can see their donations in action by following the activities of their volunteers.

... and let's remember that "community organizing" is pure grassroots democracy.

DekeD26's picture

You're talking like a cerebral Democrat. Most of the electorate boders on brain-dead. All they understand is sound-bite sized adds that take the offensive against the opponent. Americans want fight in their elected officials, hence the popularity of Palin. Does Pit bull ring a bell? Last night on Countdown Obama could not bring himself to call McSame-Palin liars. He used all the verbiage we accuse the MSM of using when they skirt these very same issues.

Is the Coast Clear?--- @ 20:

pissed off patricia @ 19:

DekeD26 @ 15:

Obama is a pussy..and if that he can't or won't get of his ass and attack McSame, he will go down. More importantly, his sorry ass will take down 100 million or more of us with him. I'm a life time Dem, and a Viet Nam Vet, and I'm sick and tired of these weak-assed candidates we put out there on the nation stage. Until I see some fight out of Obama, I will not contribute one more dime to his campaign

What do you want him to do? He can't get a baseball bat and beat him up. He can't attack him on his time in the military. He can attack his voting record. He can attack his plan for Iraq. He can attack him on these and so many other issues and he has.

You don't have to attack...just use the clips that show McCain to be a doddering old fool...one picture worth thousand words....

Right On @17: Hey, thank you so much for the kind words. I really appreciate it. And, as agreed, the check is on its way ;)

Nicholas's picture

http://money.canoe.ca/News/Economy/2008/09/09/6710776-ap.html

The fiscally conservative Republicans strike again.

I agree Obama and the Democrats need to be much more aggressive. They don't have to stoop as low as the Repubicans, but they need to be far less gentlemenly. The Republicans can't be allowed to get away with the endless stream of lies and smears.

Fanon's picture

Surging Blue Lensman @ 5:

StirFry @ 3:

Obama/Biden 08
It ain't cheap running against an undignified smear campaign. F*ck all this high road sh*t. Calling all pro-Obama, anti-McCain 527's.

I've come to the conclusion that Obama should stick to the high road. If a clearly better candidate can't win this election while playing fairly, then this country's already lost its soul - screw us.

Yeah, I'm with you, actually. I am sick of feeling like we are electing a junior high school student government. If we can't elect adults, while acting like adults, then screw us.

Don Rumsfeld hater's picture

Don Rumsfeld hater @ 23:

Please print this out and check off the ones you think are true :
□ Sarah Palin told congress "Oh, you want to give my state hundreds of millions of dollars (to build a bridge)?? Hey Federal government" Sarah said,"you can take your hundreds of millions of dollars and shove it up your ass."

□ Sarah Palin referred to an island in her state as "Nowhere" even though Alaskans were living on it. This proves that she'd be good at dipomacy. The people who live on that island are -- NOBODYs

□ Sarah Palin told the federal government, "Thanks, but no thanks. We have hundreds of millions of dollars sitting around in Alaska if we decide we want such a bridge built."

□ Sarah Palin is damn sexy !
..............................................................................................
If you checked off the bottom one only - you got 100% on this little test.
If you checked off all 4 - you are a naive Christian republican who probably believes that Larry Craig is not a bisexual sex addict.

_____________________________________________________
I just read message #23. I think the conversation probably went something like this :
Federal Government : Sarah we want to give your state 200 million dollars.
Sarah : No, no ,no. You should give that money to another state or use it for the Iraq war or for war vets.
Fed gov't : No Sarah. We have plenty of money for our wars and for Walter Reed Veterans Hospital. Please accept this 200 million dollars and build a bridge.
Sarah : What to that stupid little island. Only 50 people live on it. Let them take a ferry.....the bunch of nobodies. How about giving 200 mill to the Katrina victims.
Fed gov't : No. Those 50 Alaskan people are more important than people who are stupid enough to live below sea level.
Sarah : Listen, if we want to build a bridge to nowhere -we'll do it ourselves. Thanks, but no thanks.
Fed Gov't : Hey, Sarah.....you are one tough cookie. We're installing John McCain as the next war President. How about you be the VP.
Sarah : What does a VP do all day????? One more question : I'm pro-life so I'm addicted to shooting animals. Are there any small animals around the Whitehouse I could hunt? Rabbits? Squirrels? Moose? Caribou?

StirFry's picture

Drill baby Drill 2008
blood-thirsty Republicans at the RNC.

Don Rumsfeld hater's picture

StirFry @ 30:

Drill baby Drill 2008
blood-thirsty Republicans at the RNC.

..............................................................
Wow ! That's an amazing two minute video !! What talent ! It does a great job of showing the insanity of the republicans although it is satire of course. If you are not sqeamish --go have a look at that video. And then send it to your friends. It's satire but there is something eerily realistic about it.

Alexdem's picture

4,000 Anti-Scientology Videos Yanked From YouTube

So.. where's the right-wing outrage over this encroachment on Free Speech?

Oh, I forgot. That only applies to muslim wackos. Not our own home-grown cults.

Batocchio's picture

So many lies, so little time... And McClatchy has been among the best sources for accurate Iraq news.

MrJJ's picture

Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financial Services Modernization Act.

53 Republican Senators plus one Democrat - AYE

44 Democrats no Republicans - NAY

The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, also known as the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Financial Services Modernization Act, Pub. L. No. 106-102, 113 Stat. 1338 (November 12, 1999), is an Act of the United States Congress which repealed the Glass-Steagall Act, opening up competition among banks, securities companies and insurance companies. The Glass-Steagall Act prohibited a bank from offering investment, commercial banking, and insurance services.

The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) allowed commercial and investment banks to consolidate. For example, Citibank merged with Travelers Group, an insurance company, and in 1998 formed the conglomerate Citigroup, a corporation combining banking and insurance underwriting services. Other major mergers in the financial sector had already taken place such as the Smith-Barney, Shearson, Primerica and Travelers Insurance Corporation combination in the mid-1990s. This combination, announced in 1993 and finalized in 1994, would have violated the Glass-Steagall Act and the Bank Holding Acts by combining insurance and securities companies, if not for a temporary waiver process . The law was passed to legalize these mergers on a permanent basis. Historically, the combined industry has been known as the financial services industry.

...

Economist Robert Kuttner has criticized the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act as contributing to the 2007 subprime mortgage financial crisis. Economists Robert Ekelund and Mark Thornton have made similar criticisms, arguing that while "in a world regulated by a gold standard, 100% reserve banking, and no FDIC deposit insurance" the Financial Services Modernization Act would have made "perfect sense" as a legitimate act of deregulation, under the present fiat monetary system it "amounts to corporate welfare for financial institutions and a moral hazard that will make taxpayers pay dearly".

"John McCain voted FOR the bank laws that led to the current credit crisis. John Mccain's economic advisor WROTE the law. 53 Republicans voted YES to the law. When you're in danger of losing your house, can you take a chance on more of the same from those who wrecked out economy?"

MrJJ's picture

USA! USA! WE'RE NO. 1 ! Our currency reserves are better than ... Botswana? Maybe? Kinda?

US foreign currency reserves have sunk to about $72+ billion, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The southern African nation of Botswana's foreign currency reserves stand at about $6 billion.

Yeah! USA! USA! WE'RE NO. 1 ! Our foreign reserves are about 10 times bigger than Botswana's !!

Oh yeah. Botswana is a nation of 1.8 million people, while the US is a nation of about 300 million people -- there are 166 times as many Americans and there are Botswana citizens.

Which means that on a per capita basis (per person), Botswana's foreign currency reserves are $3,277 while on the same basis ours are about $250 -- so the Tswana have have 13 times the foreign currency reserves per person we have.

OK what about a more suitable match up? How about USA versus Greneda! Oh wait, we already kicked their asses.

What about Hong Kong? I read somewhere that their foreign reserves are falling! Yeah, Go USA! Ooops, they were falling by a billion or so, but they were up at the end of August by $400 million and currently stand at $158.1 billion.

That's Hong Kong.

Not China.

Hong Kong, with its population of about the same size as New York City, has twice the foreign currency reserves of the entire U S of A. (China of course has around $1.8 trillion, about 23 times as much foreign reserves as the US).

Of course, a small country like Botswana, or a city-state like Hong Kong, or a big third world factory town like China, have to save foreign currency because they need dollars. We make our own goddamn dollars, thank you very much, and as long as the world accepts our manufactured dollars for their manufactures, we don't need no stinkin foreign currency reserves.

Oh wait a minute. If Freddie and Fannie default on the several trillion dollars worth of mortgage backed securities and other debt instruments, the world probably won't accept dollars any more.

Well, if so, we've always got that $72 billion or so in foreign reserves

Does that mean were screwn?

bateman's picture

What are we gonna do?
The right wing operatives are going batshit crazy, spewing lies 24/7 on places like craigslist and God knows where else.
I really hate them.

Liberal AND Proud's picture

pissed off patricia @ 16:

This whole McCain/Palin thing has the atmosphere of a freaky horror movie. You just know something strange and frightening is going to happen any minute, so you stay in a state of anxiety, dread and yet some anticipation. That's the way I feel about their campaign. It seems any minute something will happen or something will come out about Palin that will snuff her fame flame. The fun is guessing what it might be.

The only flame that is being snuffed is the flame from the torch of liberty.

FYI: If you find that my site isn't responding, the people at my server said they are working to keep it up. And, as the record shows, I come to play every day ;)

oyster's picture

Big belated thanks to Mike for the link!

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