From ex AF officer, ex-reporter, Mike Graham responds to the Dominionism article C&L posted:

We need to acknowledge what we're up against. Fundamentalist religion, of any stripe, is the most dangerous drug of all. And these "dominionist" fools -- masquerading as "Christians" -- are going to be the death of us all.

Why are no mainstream theologians speaking out against these fascist lunatics? They have hijacked the very term "Christianity" and made it a dirty word, synonymous with bigotry and hatred, deceit and murder. And the response from mainstream churches? Thundering silence. I call it "the silence of the shepherds."

What parts of the Sermon on the Mount don't these moral mutants understand? The President of the United States is in thrall to theological thugs. This country needs to wake up and wake up fast. This is the American Taliban, and if they have their way this nation is going to turn into a Bible Belt version of Saudi Arabia.

At the same time, we need to recognize that we already are in a holy war. When Bush used the word "crusade" that first day, he meant exactly what he said. These psychopaths want Armageddon. That's a huge part of what Iraq is really all about, that and corporate profiteering.

As I recall, Jesus had a few choice words about Pharisees and money changers and their ilk. I wonder what the Prince of Peace would say about people using His Name to justify mass murder.

I sure as hell don't hear any theologians raising that question.

On Hardball Friday, the topic was about the American Press and their coverage of elections and the candidates.

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Craig Crawford exposed the media's role in potraying Al Gore as a "serial exaggerator" and or"liar" which Matthews was part of. Alexandra Pelosi also said that shows like Hardball perpetuated characterizations of people. Chris took offense at the statement as it pertained to George Bush and said "I voted for him at least once..."

Does anyone care to guess when that might have taken place?

I put a question mark on Ezra's title for his post: The Return of Brooks

"David Brooks's column today is the best I've seen him write since signing on with the Times. This is what he used to be like in The Atlantic -- playful, thought-provoking, idiosyncratic...read on"

I actually liked the article too. When Brooks writes:

Poor children are less likely to live with both biological parents, hence, less likely to graduate from high school, get a job and be in a position to challenge the hegemony of the privileged class. Family inequality produces income inequality from generation to generation.

Undereducated workers of the world, unite! Let the ruling educated class tremble! You have nothing to lose but your chains. You have a world to win!

I think he's on to something. Funny how many of the talking heads try to label a person who wants to help the poor in this country as a socialist. I always thought it was called compassion.

Tbogg has a funny and insightful accounting of a trip to Le Target.

He makes the case for this important research.

AmericaBlog says: Brownback then says:

BROWNBACK: George [Stephanopoulos] and Arlen, when did each of your lives begin? When did your life biologically start? And we shouldn't be researching on that life at any time during its continuum unless we have your consent. When did your life start?

SPECTER: Well Sam, I'm a lot more concerned at this point about when my life is gonna end.

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The latest CBS poll I saw said 58% are for it. 31 % against. Republicans in that same poll 50% for/39% against. Specter said there could be a very big majority in the Senate that approves this bill.

I think I'll send Sen. Brownback a copy of The Stem Cell Research Living Will.

THE RAF and US aircraft doubled the rate at which they were dropping bombs on Iraq in 2002 in an attempt to provoke Saddam Hussein into giving the allies an excuse for war, new evidence has shown.

The attacks were intensified from May, six months before the United Nations resolution that Tony Blair and Lord Goldsmith, the attorney-general, argued gave the coalition the legal basis for war. By the end of August the raids had become a full air offensive.

The details follow the leak to The Sunday Times of minutes of a key meeting in July 2002 at which Blair and his war cabinet discussed how to make “regime change” in Iraq legal......read on

Will the media cover this? Don't hold your breath.

John Conyers has a wonderful dairy over at Daily Kos on this issue!

Inside America's most powerful megachurch
The story they found in Colorado is about newness: new houses, new roads, new stores. And about oldness, imagined: what is thought to be the traditional way of life, families as they were before the culture wars, after the World Wars, which is to say, during the brief, Cold War moment when America was a nation of single-breadwinner nuclear families....

The press tends to regard Dobson as the most powerful evangelical Christian in America, but Pastor Ted is at least his equal. Whereas Dobson plays the part of national scold, promising to destroy politicians who defy the Bible, Pastor Ted quietly guides those politicians through the ritual of acquiescence required to save face...read on

Dominionism, Dominion Theology, Christian Reconstructionism, Theocratic Dominionism, and Theonomy are not denominations or faith groups. Rather, they are interrelated beliefs which are followed by members of a wide range of Christian denominations. They have no connection at all to Reconstructionist Judaism, which is a liberal group within Judaism...read on

This is an excellent article and I urge you to pore over it. Its paramount that we understand the challenges ahead instead of getting our information through filtered sound bites.

via Max Speak

Newsflash: Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) admits condoms work. The last part is good.

Was there anything clip worthy?

Happy Holidays