DOWNLOADS: (882)

PLAYS: (3416)

Embed

Conservative pundit Terry Savage went on MSNBC to try and justify her idiotic column called There is no 'free' in which she accosted a few young girls because they dared to show compassion and give away lemonade instead of selling it for profit on a fourth of July day. Tamrin Hall of MSNBC gives her a soft ball platform to perform on. Even with the hands off treatment, Terry comes off like so many conservative pundits do. She makes about as much sense as Rand Paul. You just scratch your head and say, huh? Did I actually see and hear what I just saw?

Hall: So many people people are talking about this...OK, you drove up on these kids with your brother, you get out and the lemonade is free. What's the big deal that it was free?

Savage: I love the furor this is causing as if there was some incompatibility between being an entrepreneur and being generous. These little girls just never had a lesson on what a lemonade stand is supposed to be...

Savage has no idea who these kids are, what these children have been learning from their families and what motivated them in their being so generous in the first place. I guess it's a crime that they wanted to be engage in the act of caring and giving and not selfishness on a national holiday and for Terry, it was up to her to set them all straight about how things are done. I mean, what a conceited and arrogant conservative fool. What Terry is actually doing is trying to indoctrinate these kids into being conservatives, who bow down to the almighty free market GOD, so they can become as heartless as she is.

I'm glad my post about Terry's column caused such an outrage. Here's what the conservative buffoon wrote in her column:

The three young girls -- under the watchful eye of a nanny, sitting on the grass with them -- explained that they had regular lemonade, raspberry lemonade, and small chocolate candy bars. Then my brother asked how much each item cost.

"Oh, no," they replied in unison, "they're all free!" I sat in the back seat in shock. Free? My brother questioned them again: "But you have to charge something? What should I pay for a lemonade? I'm really thirsty!"

His fiancee smiled and commented, "Isn't that cute. They have the spirit of giving." That really set me off, as my regular readers can imagine. "No!" I exclaimed from the back seat. "That's not the spirit of giving. You can only really give when you give something you own. They're giving away their parents' things -- the lemonade, cups, candy. It's not theirs to give."

I pushed the button to roll down the window and stuck my head out to set them straight.

"You must charge something for the lemonade," I explained. "That's the whole point of a lemonade stand. You figure out your costs -- how much the lemonade costs, and the cups -- and then you charge a little more than what it costs you, so you can make money. Then you can buy more stuff, and make more lemonade, and sell it and make more money." I was confident I had explained it clearly. Until my brother, breaking the tension, ordered a raspberry lemonade. As they handed it to him, he again asked: "So how much is it?"

And the girls once again replied: "It's free!" And the nanny looked on contentedly. No wonder America is getting it all wrong when it comes to government, and taxes, and policy. We all act as if the "lemonade" or benefits we're "giving away" is free.

Her behavior to these young girls was truly outrageous.
(h/t Heather)

Happy Fourth of July Weekend, folks.

A must-read: Charles P. Pierce's essay, "America, the Poisoned: Hold These Truths to Be Self-Inflicted."

The above "oh no, they didn't" image via Schmohawk.

Open thread below; how are you celebrating Independence Day?

Chin Up, Liberals – The Fourth Is Our Day

The Yellow Dog Blog: I think it's very possible for those of us on the left to feel a bit empty and cheated on the Fourth of July. We oppose so much of how our government conducts its business now and, by extension, that can leave us feeling disappointed and alienated from our sense of belonging and national pride. But that need not be the case. read on

DOWNLOADS: (1191)

PLAYS: (2238)

Embed

Pete King, the noxious Republican congressman from Long Island, made a video for Friends of Pete King for the Fourth of July commenting on "real heroes" and then launching into an attack on the media for covering Michael Jackson's death so assiduously:

King: Yesterday I marched in two Fourth of July parades in Wantagh and Massapequa Park. Today I was talking a walk through Wantagh, here at the American Legion Hall, the firehouse down the street, the fire memorial a few blocks from here. And it really reminded me of, you know, the great men and women who've sacrificed so much for our country -- people fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan today; cops, firefighters, teachers, none of whom really get much credit. And yet for the last, I don't know how long now, this lowlife Michael Jackson, his name, his face and picture is all over the newspapers, television, radio. It's all we hear about, is Michael Jackson.

And let's knock out the psycho-babble. This guy was a pervert, he was a child molester, ah, he was a pedophile, and to be giving this much coverage to him day in and day out, what does that say about us as a country?

I just think it's too -- we're too politically correct. No one wants to stand up and say we don't need Michael Jackson. He died, he had some talent, fine. But people are dying every day. There are men and women dying in Afghanistan. Let's give them the credit they deserve.

I really think the media has disgraced itself. I think there are too many people in public life who have made fools of themselves by talking about Michael Jackson as if he's some kind of hero.

There's nothing good about this guy. He may have been a a good singer, did some dancing. But the bottom line is would you let your child or grandchild be in the same room with Michael Jackson? What are we glorifying him for?

So anyway, let's take some time out to really look to the people that do make this a great country -- the men and women in the armed forces, police, firefighters, teachers who work in really rough neighborhoods, people who volunteer with dying cancer patients, people who work in AIDS clinics -- they're the ones we should be glorifying. Not some pervert like Michael Jackson.

Newsday contacted him to see if he had any second thoughts, and he was unrepentant:

"The bottom line is, he’s a pervert," King said. "He was endangering young children and all these people who say he's a great hero would never let their children or grandchildren near him."

Let's stipulate a couple of things: First, we don't disagree with the sentiment that the media ridiculously over-cover celebrity deaths like Jackson's. Our objection, though, is about the absurdities of the cult of celebrity, and not whether or not Jackson deserved the adulation.

(And it must be pointed out that the adulation heaped upon Jackson is largely the product of the free-enterprise system that Republicans like King vehemently defend at every nook and cranny -- except that belonging to a black man.)

Second, a lot people's recent distaste for Jackson does indeed revolve around the question of his bizarre relationships with children, and we wouldn't minimize those issues either insofar as there is any factual truth in them (nor, for that matter, have they been ignored in the media coverage).

But someone should point a couple of things out to King:

-- Jackson in fact was cleared of all charges relating to his supposed molestation of children. So there is no factual ground for claiming that he was a "pervert" or a "pedophile".

-- It's a fine thing to honor the men and women who perform the many tasks of public service he mentions. But you never honor these people by tearing other people down -- rather the opposite. Vilification of celebrities does nothing to glorify society's unrecognized heroes, and indeed is counter to the very reasons we honor them -- which is to recognize and appreciate the contributions of all hard-working Americans. Including even those who happen to be celebrities.

Finally, speaking of morally degraded people ... one wonders where Pete King's outrage was when it came to the people who created the Bush torture regime. Talk about skewed priorities.

I'm sure that King will be shocked to learn that Jackson fans are now organizing to fund his defeat at the polls.

DOWNLOADS: (1303)

PLAYS: (7457)

Embed

In a yet another completely tone-deaf move hailed by GOP sycophants as cagey, Sarah Palin complained about the mean ol' bloggers chasing after her and sic'ed her lawyer after them, threatening lawsuits. Palin's lawyer, in point of fact, put out a four page letter (.pdf) outlining the "defamatory" charges against his client that would embarrass a first semester law student.

One of those in Palin's crosshairs is blogger Shannyn Moore. Shannyn has one message for Palin: Bring it on.

On the Fourth of July, when Americans everywhere were celebrating our most sacred national holiday with parades and barbeques, Governor Sarah Palin was busy having me, Shannyn Moore, declared an Enemy of the State.

In a rambling quasi-legal letter, the most powerful person in this state accused me of defaming her for pointing out the fact that there have been rumors, -rumors- of corruption, rumors that have been around for years.

When Sarah Palin gave her three-weeks notice to the people of Alaska, aborting her term as Governor, a lot of people wondered why she quit. Mid-level managers turn-in their notice, not elected public officials. It didn’t make sense. It still doesn’t. People have been trying to guess why she really quit, and everyone in Alaska has been playing the guessing game. They’re rumors. There are a lot of rumors. And with all the corruption we’ve had here in Alaska, of course we wonder what’s really behind her resignation.

Governors don’t just quit. But Governor Palin did.[..]

Sarah Palin is a coward and a bully. What kind of politician attacks an ordinary American on the Fourth of July for speaking her mind? What’s wrong with her? The First Amendment was designed to protect people like me from the likes of people like her. Our American Revolution got rid of kings. And queens, too. Am I jacked-up? You betcha. Sarah Palin, if you have a problem with me, then sue me.

You gotta love this woman.

Hat tip for this video to Shannyn's fellow Alaska blogger Gryphen at The Immoral Minority, who points out,

"Do you know the difference between a Shannyn Moore press conference and a Sarah Palin press conference? Shannyn's made sense."

Okay, I admit for being a sucker for Fourth of July shows. Stirring songs and fireworks wend their way into my cynical soul and I shake free those constraints to really, really love celebrating our independence. I grew up with a family tradition of a picnic under the stars and the fireworks show at the Hollywood Bowl. At least, that's what I used to do. Last night, I had to content myself with the Boston Pops on TV while comforting my frightened puppy; my husband got to take the kids to a bluff not far from our home where they could watch three different fireworks shows along the bay.

This morning, it's me cowering, wishing I could hide under the sofa at the prospect of the Sunday shows. It's safe to say that Sarah Palin's inexplicable "I'm saving Alaska by quitting early" move will be at the forefront of the conversation, especially on FoxNews Sunday, having bagged successor Lt. Gov. Parnell. VP Joe Biden will be on This Week, but he'll be followed by the intolerable roundtable featuring Tony Blankley and George Will, opining on Iraq, Palin and Franken. The only saving grace? We are spared David Gregory and Meet the Press, which is pre-empted for Wimbledon coverage.

ABC's "This Week" - Vice President Joe Biden.

CBS' "Face the Nation" - Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

NBC's "Meet the Press" - Pre-empted by coverage of Wimbledon tennis.

NBC's "The Chris Matthews Show" - Panel: Gloria Borger, Bob Woodward, Joe Klein, Tina Brown. (repeat)

CNN's "State of the Union" - Former Secretary of State Colin Powell; Mullen; Queen Noor of Jordan.

CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS" - Fareed speaks to British Foreign Secretary David Miliband about why Iran is so angry at Great Britain. Plus, a discussion on aid in Africa -- are celebrities throwing money at the problems or making an actual difference?

"Fox News Sunday" - Mullen; Reps. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and John Boehner, R-Ohio; Alaska Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell; former Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark.; and former George W. Bush adviser Karl Rove.

So, what's catching your eye this morning?

Part two of my tribute to the fine citizen-journalists who filled in so ably here at the Roundup during my extended absence:

PERRspectives Blog: Hillary Clinton's health care inoculation strategy

skippy the bush kangaroo: Georgia has decided to move its primary up to tomorrow, and Missouri has elected to go back in time and have its primary last fourth of July.

William K. Wolfrum: If George Orwell’s character Winston Smith were around today, his job at the Ministry of Truth would consist of a lot of time editing Wikipedia pages.

The Aristocrats: The Ruperts at FOX were all over this story like ants on a snow cone

Blue Gal: 'Don't Sugarcoat It' Award for August 26

Go read Matt Taibbi's latest, The Great Iraq Swindle: : Rolling Stone

 As a favor for the Young Democrats who will be shaping the future in our dotage:

Have you heard about the Other female candidate for President?

The good folks of Team Lisa over at the New Organizing Institute's Summer Campaign Boot Camp have released the following statement from their candidate, Lisa Simpson of Springfield. -

As the younger sister one of society's most notorious troublemakers, I've seen my share of injustice. Even Bart was never let off with such blatant disregard for the law. Being a proud American and citizen of Springfield, I am appalled to learn of President Bush's decision to commute Scooter Libby's sentence.

America is about liberty and justice for all, whether you're a C-average college cheerleader from Yale, a lapdog named Scooter, or a MENSA member with a 159 I.Q.. If I were president, I would uphold the principles and ideals laid out for us by our Founding Mothers and Fathers.

On this great American holiday, I wish delicious potato salad, yummy tofu dogs, and Duff Beer for all, and remember a vote for Lisa is the Intelligent Choice!

Happy Fourth of July, everyone. 

  I find it so ironic that today we celebrate the independence declared by our Founding Fathers against King George, only to find ourselves 231years later chafing under the all-but-crowned King George W. Bush. I can't lie; it's taken much of the sense of celebration out from me this year. So I went in search of some of my favorite writers in the blogosphere to see how they perceive Independence Day.Bob Geiger: No Joy This Fourth of July

Ian Welsh: A Birthday Wish

Scarecrow @ FDL: Self-Evident Truths...

Dood Abides @dKos: O Father, Where Art Thou?

Josh Marshall: The Big Picture

Please share what the meaning of "Independence" and "Freedom" mean to you.

A useful meme from Faithful Progressive: GOP candidates who support the Libby iPardon are soft on crime and national security.

The Cato Institute lists a few sentences the President has inexplicably neglected to commute.  (Link courtesy of the damnedest blog you've never read, Racrecir.)

Bad Attitudes: Even the Freepers know a criminal mob when they see one.  (Also: he used to be the Decider.  Now he's the Commuter of Scooter.)

A Tiny Revolution:  Why are so many foreigners constitutionally incapable of appreciating American exceptionalism?

Cinemablend:  Sign of the apocalypse: Texans in ten-gallon hats say "hell yeah" to Sicko.

The Executioner's Thong:  Ooh, baby, it's the fourth of July.

Once a year, guest blogger Simbaud rents Land of the Dead so he can enjoy the pretty fireworks.  Send your Yankee Doodle Links to: Simbaud AT gmail DOT com.