As tipster Annabelle says, "Why hell, why be shy?"

Indeed.

There are two problems here:

1) Obviously the law of the land is not being enforced at all if illegal immigrants feel comfortable taking a promiment public role in a big election and talking to the press about it-- offering their name, and allowing themselves to be pictured.

2) While canvassing itself is not illegal -- only voting is -- I do not believe for one second that illegals, who identify themselves as illegals to the people they're canvassing, are only encouraging "naturalized citizens" to vote, as claimed. And I don't believe that many of them aren't taking their participation in American democracy to the next (illegal) level, either.

I think the GOP should propose a law (once we take Congress) that people withdrawing money from banks should not have to show identification -- merely sign their name. The bank can check to see if that name corresponds to a customer, but should not be permitted to request ID.

Why not? Apparently that system is a strong enough safegaurd for the vote; why should tawdry money be more protected?

Posted by: Ace at 09:09 AM | Comments (118)
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Zucker:

Let this video be my apology. Every time I see the public record listing my campaign contribution to Boxer — I wince. I mean, we all have things we’ve done in the past that we’re embarrassed about, but I’d rather have my being restricted to 100 yards away from elementary schools be public knowledge than that $5,000 Boxer campaign contribution.

BTW, you know who tipped me to this? Nick Searcy, who plays the superior officer here, and Art Mullen on Justified. He just started filming the second season, but he calls this "my finest work."

He's, uh, he's a Moron, at least sort of. He commented in that old Justified thread. He did a movie I hear good things about called Cold Storage, which I keep meaning to Netflix. Little Justified connection there -- his costar there is also on Justified (Raylan's girlfriend).

Anyway, that information (namedropper!) out of the way, it's a funny vid.
more...

Posted by: Ace at 08:18 AM | Comments (181)
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It's the union which represents all the cuddly, friendly and competent public employees sucking up all of our tax money.

Don't you feel better? Democracy has been saved!

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees is now the biggest outside spender of the 2010 elections, thanks to an 11th-hour effort to boost Democrats that has vaulted the public-sector union ahead of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the AFL-CIO and a flock of new Republican groups in campaign spending.

The 1.6 million-member AFSCME is spending a total of $87.5 million on the elections after tapping into a $16 million emergency account to help fortify the Democrats' hold on Congress. Last week, AFSCME dug deeper, taking out a $2 million loan to fund its push. The group is spending money on television advertisements, phone calls, campaign mailings and other political efforts, helped by a Supreme Court decision that loosened restrictions on campaign spending.

"We're the big dog," said Larry Scanlon, the head of AFSCME's political operations. "But we don't like to brag."

...AFSCME's campaign push accounts for an estimated 30% of what pro-Democratic groups, including unions, plan to spend on independent campaigns to elect Democrats. It was made possible in part by a 2010 Supreme Court decision that permitted companies and unions to use their own funds to pay for certain political ads. That unleashed a flood of contributions and spawned an array of new outside political organizations, most of which were set up to help elect Republicans.

(via Brian Faughnan)

If I were Tom Friedman for a day and I could wish for some totalitarian measure to be imposed on the US, I'd wish for a way to make public employee unions illegal or at least prevent them from spending on campaigns. There's something deeply corrupting about employees bribing their managers (politicians) to shovel the money of the owners (citizens) to them.

Of course Obama, Pelosi, Reid and their assorted minions like Keith Olbermann and endangered House Democrats never seem to mention all this money flowing from unions. No, it's those damn corporations. How dare they fight to keep more of their money so they can hire people! Who the hell do they think they are?

You have to give credit to the public sector unions...they get their money's worth out of their bought and paid for politicians.

Posted by: DrewM at 07:35 AM | Comments (80)
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(Oops...Ugh, triple post (RD Brewer Sidebared it and Ace posted it last night). Still worth it for the day crew.)

Clearly the only liberal response to this independent committee ad will be...racism!

Actually, I'm sure some liberal bloggers will also welcome their new Chinese overlords and volunteer their services as trusted new sources to help round up the masses.

Posted by: DrewM at 07:14 AM | Comments (45)
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CAIR weighs in on Juan Williams:

"You have a sizeable minority of Americans who think it is legitimate to single out Muslims for special scrutiny and deny them rights all other Americans hold dear," said Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations. "That viewpoint expresses intolerance and bigotry."

Until CAIR acknowledges the sizeable minority that concerns us, I don't see why we should acknowledge the one that concerns them.

Posted by: Geoff at 05:36 AM | Comments (196)
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Two ones, three twos, three zeroes.

Happy FiAF morons. Don't miss Gabriel's 2010 Election Contest, see here.

via Slublog!™ (I had to add the exclamation point, found out Slublog™ was already trademarked)

Posted by: Dave in Texas at 04:50 AM | Comments (94)
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Doom! Doom! DOOOOOOOM!

ThatÂ’s a hell of a haircut. And IÂ’ll bet the barber didnÂ’t even give you a slicking-up with Brylcreem afterwards.

Have mortage rates hit the floor?

"Savage" austerity on the way for the US? I guess it depends on how long we pretend that we can paper over our financial problems rather than actually fixing them. The longer we wait, the worse the correction is going to be. At some point in the not-too-distant future, "austerity" may be the least of our worries. more...

Posted by: Monty at 03:23 AM | Comments (96)
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I announced the contest on Sunday, now it's time for your official predictions. Entries are due by TODAY, October 22 at 8pm Eastern.

First Contest: House of Representatives
How many seats will the GOP gain (net) in the House?

Whoever gets it right on the dot or closest without going over (hey, it worked for Bob Barker) wins.

Second Contest: Senate
Predict the outcome in the following eleven senate races, which we've given particular attention to here at the HQ:

AK
CA
CT
DE
FL
IL
NV
PA
WA
WI
WV

Whoever gets the most right wins.

Tiebreaker:
The tiebreaker for both contests will be a prediction of the percentages in the Florida Rubio-Crist-Meek race.

Entries are due by TODAY, October 22 at 8pm Eastern. (I extended the deadline from what I thought it'd be because I forgot to put this post up last night. I was assembling a bed. Sleeping on a bed is real good.)

You can post your Official Predictions in the comments to this thread OR, if you'd rather, you can email me your entry any time before the deadline at "gabriel.malor" at gmail. I've already got a bunch of entries by email -- including from the cob-loggers, who made uninspiring guesses -- no need to resend it if you already did, but you can send me your tiebreaker prediction if you like.

I'll tally the results and announce the winners after the recounts are done.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 03:12 AM | Comments (178)
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And yet, people don't think it's enough. Ungrateful bastards.

Ah, the life of a selfless savior.

Coming off the last debate, Sharron Angle has a new add out and it's kind of funny.

If he gets beat, it's going to be so, so sweet.

Posted by: DrewM at 06:29 PM | Comments (133)
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Thanks to a busy, busy day tonight's ONT will suck 18% more. Ready yourselves.

Mrs. Clarence Thomas Leaves Some Voicemail For Anita Hill

I had pretty much forgotten about Anita Hill but Virginia Thomas hasn't:

A few days ago, Brandeis University professor Anita Hill received a message on her voice mail at work.

“Good morning, Anita Hill, it’s Ginny Thomas,” said the voice. “I just wanted to reach across the airwaves and the years and ask you to consider something. I would love you to consider an apology sometime and some full explanation of why you did what you did with my husband. So give it some thought and certainly pray about this and come to understand why you did what you did. OK, have a good day.”…

And don't forget about the Juan Williams-Clarence Thomas connection.

Posted by: Maetenloch at 05:44 PM | Comments (617)
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