1 Morning 'rons,

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Republican presidential contender Michele Bachmann lost her campaign chief Monday, along with his close deputy, in a campaign shake-up that the Minnesota congresswoman's aides sought to downplay.

Citing health reasons, veteran GOP strategist Ed Rollins stepped down as campaign manager. Bachmann said one of her strategists would take over on an interim basis as Rollins moves to a senior adviser role.

snip~

His deputy, David Polyansky, who worked with him when they ran former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's presidential bid in 2008, also planned to step aside, Rollins told CNN.

http://tinyurl.com/3sxq7jx

2

I'm still reeling over little Jimmy Hoffa Jr's remarks yesterday. It was unseemly and definitely beneath the office of President to say he was proud of Hoffa.

In the immortal words of Bugs Bunny, "If it's war he wants, it's war he'll get."

3 I owe, I owe it's off to work I go....

4 Resist We Much  - these foolish union thugs!!!

5 Morning Joe doesn't think Perry can win because he's expressed support for repealing the 17th Amendment (and as all constitutional scholars know, a president can repeal an amendment with the stroke of a pen).

Meanwhile, Jon Huntsman was at a parade and ran the route shaking hands along the way. A whole 2 miles, running all the way, he's so dreamy. ::swoon::

6 Oh lighten up people, Hoffa supports democrats so it's all good. The media will cover for us, I mean him.

7 6

I love Morning Joe....they forget their dusky hued boyfriend detests the entire concept of the Bill of Rights being a check on federal Power....

8 Hoffa is scary. I think he's a little too Salinesque for comfort.

9 9 Dagny,

tell him you'll send him a red fox....

you or I would think a ginger is involved....

Jr. thinks something else

10

I didn't know that Hoffa had inherited his daddy's job before yesterday, which just goes to show how influential he is. I'm still pissed at what he said and I'd like to see somebody haul his little tough-talking ass into court for inciting violence (or a riot) and for hate speech.

11 Gah!  Back to salt mines.  The first kid waited at the bus stop with her dad and no bus showed.  Second kid is nearly ready to go.  Happy first day of school to all 'rons and 'ettes enduring the same.

12 Hope Vic's doing ok.  More prayers going his way.

13 Matt Stoller should put down the crack pipe and seek help immediately.  His Salon piece mentioned in the sidebar was the funniest I have read recently.  Obama needs to listen to Krugman more? The Obama administration is anti-labor?  Obama has a right-wing policy framework?

Stoller has completely lost his mind.  He wants Obama to run as a hard-core lefty.  Yeah, that will work out.  Apparently, he doesn't read his own article because he himself said that only 31% classify themselves as Dems.  That leaves 69% for our nominee to scoop up.

14 @13 - What happened to Vic?  I've been way out of circulation with the morning morons over summer vacay and just got cable back on Sunday after Irene.

15 13, Ditto on Vic. I'm surprised he or a family member has not at least typed us a small note.

16 A little touch of autumn here in SE PA, cool and a slight breeze. I love this time of year. Just a reminder that whatever happens in our world, the natural world goes on as ever. (And prayers for Vic as well.)

17 Oh, and Obama is a SCOAMF. Just wanted to remind people of that before I hit the road for work.

18 19, Have a good day. Be thankful for your job.

19

His remarks don't surprise me in the slightest. If they are ever in a position where they might actually start falling backwards from the socialism they demand (which hasn't happened in the last two centuries) Hoffas remarks are miniscule'ly mild.

We're in a cold civil war with these cretins known as democrats. If they EVER lose something, open violence will break out from their ranks.

20 What happened to Vic?

Colon surgery for cancer.

Someone needs to smuggle him a laptop.

Get well quick, Vic.

21 Ditto on Morning Joe...  what the heck was that diatribe against Rick Perry...  Scarsborough repeated his talking pts three times in his spew with Buchannan.   Good grief the establishment is in for a shocker... and will become apoplectic as Perry rises above all this...

22 Me and the female Tawdry went to DC with the kids and g-kids this weekend.  I knew DC was 75-80% blacks, but I was quite shocked to see that the vast vast majority of them were very richly dressed, adorned with blinding jewelry and drove around in 45-50k cars.  And we stayed in a rented condo in what we were told was a lower middle class neighborhood..."to be careful" we were told.  The cars lining our street was impressive...and in fact so were the condos themselves.

We all know who the vast majority of these people work for.  And M. Steyn's new book After America he mentions that in 2008 only 1 Dept of Ag employee made over 170k.  18 months later that number was 1,690.  Astounding!

I always thought the shit out of Waters and all the other black politicians' mouths was ideology.  I now know it is economic.  When the TPers get their way in the next few years all that luxury in middle class black DC and stimulus handouts elsewhere in the inner cities is going to go PUFFFFF!

The streets will light up.  Glock!!!!

23 The Postal Service going belly up is the first attempt y the Marxist to scare the shit out of the moderates.  "Oh my God their closing the postal system!!!  I won't get anymore mail!  I won't get my social security check!  I won't get my pension check!"

See where this is going.  Those mean asshole Tea Partiers are already disrupting our society and they're not even in complete charge.
 

24 When not philosophizing, Karl was a regular at Comedy Central. If you used any common sense at all you would know that Karl could not have been on Comedy Central. They didn't have the cables back then. It must have been Giggles or the laugh factory. These foolish factual errors will make our site a laughing stock. Be careful Sir.

25 Did anybody else just see Debbie Wasserman Schultz on Fox and Friends re: Hoffa's comments?  They asked her what her response was to his comments and all she could say was that people only care about the democratic party focusing on jobs.  She was asked three times and flat out refused to answer the question.  It was surreal.

26 @13 - What happened to Vic?  I've been way out of circulation with the morning morons over summer vacay and just got cable back on Sunday after Irene.

Vic's out of circulation for "a week or so" whilst he gets his interior garters resized via surgery.

It's fucking, VIC!

27 Morning, Morons.  And Salutations, 'ettes.

28 Just spit-ballin' here, but imagine a universe in which Dear Reader was really interested in creating jobs instead of setting up political battles to "define himself" for re-election. Suppose he were willing to put forth a compromise proposal that might actually pass. I think it would look something like this:

- $200 Billion in dedicated infrastructure spending, annually, for five years. All of which had to go to transportation and energy transmission infrastructure. Nothing for education, health care, or green energy. A bipartisan committee in Congress would designate projects. No state would be allowed to receive a share of spending beyond its proportion in the national population.

- This infrastructure spending would be "paid for" by $200 Billion in annual cuts to non-defense discretionary spending and entitlement programs. The cuts would have to be in place before spending was authorized.

- In return, Republicans would get a moratorium on new environmental, labor, and health care regulations until unemployment drops below 5%.

This would be a fair compromise to pass Dinky's "Jobs" program, but of course, it will not be offered because creating jobs is not the point.

29 Hoffa thinks it's still 1975. He is in for a rude awakening.

30 Obama is a Stuttering Clusterfuck of Miserable Failure that doesn't mind so much the incitement of violence by union thuggies. Posted by: Beefy Meatball at September 06, 2011 07:53 AM (bZ8J6) You say that as though you thought there was something wrong with that!

31 Get well quick, Vic.

Posted by: toby928© at September 06, 2011 07:33 AM (GTbGH)

He'd better. Who else am I going to get all riled up over the civil war?

32 Ha! On CNBC Squawk Box just now, Joe Kernen told John Harwood (NYT) he was going to collapse from water carrying for the SCOAMF. I LOLed.

33 Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo (NJConservative)) at September 06, 2011 07:56 AM (LH6ir)

I'll be your huckleberry.

Vic's better at it than me, but I can get pretty riled.

I just heard the name "General Sherman" in passing on TV last night and had to spit.

34 AllenG, got a chainsaw?

35 Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) is tired beyond tired of the trolls at September 06, 2011 08:00 AM (KxyHe)

Let's start with some ground rules.

1. The correct name for the conflict is "The War of The Southern Rebellion."

And that's pretty much it!

36 42, I thought it was the war of Northern Oppression.

37 Posted by: Oldsailor's poet at September 06, 2011 08:04 AM (ZDUD4)

I have seen "The War of Northern Aggression," but of course it was never spelled correctly.

38 Let's start with some ground rules.

1. The correct name for the conflict is "The War of The Southern Rebellion."

And that's pretty much it!

I thought it was the War of Southern Impertinence.

39 Apologize for Hoffa or no joint session for you.

40 42, 43, I thought it was The Late Unpleasantness.

41 Ditto on Vic. I'm surprised he or a family member has not at least typed us a small note.

I think AOSHQ must be Vic's guilty secret from She Who Must Be Obeyed.

42 I think AOSHQ must be Vic's guilty secret from She Who Must Be Obeyed. I think most of us have one of those. Guilty secrets and a She that must be obeyed.

43 Jefferson Davis was the original stuttering clusterf*cu of a miserable failure.

44 Posted by: Andy at September 06, 2011 08:02 AM (z6jMn)

No.  But I'd rather rip it out by the roots anyway.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo (NJConservative)) at September 06, 2011 08:02 AM (LH6ir)

Obviously we're going to have problems over the ground rules.  It was most definitely The War of Northern Aggression.  I'll settle for "War Between the States," however.  In the spirit of compromise that y'all Yankees never bothered to even try to show us.

45 No state would be allowed to receive a share of spending beyond its proportion in the national population.

This would be the only sticking point I have with your proposal.  I understand the purpose is to constrain pork, but the effect could be the opposite.  A small state with legitimate big needs might not get enough money to address them fully.  A larger state with fewer needs would be eligible for more money than they needed.  They would be able to meet their goals and still ahve a few bucks left over for some tasty pork.  There needs to be some discretion applied that would even out such imbalances.

46 It is a glorious Tuesday, friends. The Master Race descends upon their hapless teachers who have been fucking off all summer. Vacation's over, bitches. But the roads - My God! It's full of cars!

47
Larry Sabato totes up the EVs for 2012 in the WSJ:

Republicans therefore are a lock or lead in 24 states for 206 electoral votes, and Democrats have or lead in 19 states for 247 electoral votes. That's why seven super-swing states with 85 electors will determine which party gets to the magic number of 270 electoral votes: Colorado (9), Florida (29), Iowa (6), Nevada (6), New Hampshire (4), Ohio (1 and Virginia (13).

Prior to Obama's 2008 victories in each of these states, several had generally or firmly leaned Republican since 1980. Virginia, which hadn't voted Democratic since 1964, was the biggest surprise, and its Obama majority was larger than that of Ohio, which has frequently been friendly to Democrats in past decades. Massive Hispanic participation turned Colorado and Nevada to Mr. Obama, and it helped him in Florida.

http://goo.gl/Uzp1L


Apparently Obama is just a Haitian amnesty away from re-election.

48 If we're going to have a civil war on the Civil War as a welcome back thread for Vic we're going to have to do better than this.

49 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 52
How about "The point at which the Federal Government got completely out of hand"?

50 Jefferson Davis was the original stuttering clusterf*cu of a miserable failure.

I'm sorry.  Who would have been responsible for making sure John Brown didn't steal, and attempt to use, US Army artillery?  And who, instead of pursuing honest diplomatic means to resolve the crisis, decided he had to deliberately provoke the Confederacy with a move which could not be ignored?

51 Shit I hate the first day after the Labor Day Weekend. It means summer is over. Not that I had any vacation, but the I do remember when I was a youngster and did in days long gone. The ONLY good thing is it is a short week for me. Mid day Thursday I'm off for 4 days in the Navy. A conference, which means a lot of drinking and networking.

52

Posted by: Iron Balls McGinty at September 06, 2011 08:13 AM (Gkhxf)

If a state has a population with needs that are disproportionate, then they can fleece their own population, instead of expecting some hick in flyover country to foot the bill.

The real issue, of course, is defining "needs" vs. "wants." 

53
BTW - Ohio is 18 EV, not (1

54 sigh........no word from vic yet?

55 "In the spirit of compromise that y'all Yankees never bothered to even try to show us."

Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) is tired beyond tired of the trolls at September 06, 2011 08:12 AM (KxyHe)

How does one compromise with rebels?

If the North had not been so magnanimous in victory, the South would still be an agrarian shithole. Grant allowed the Southern soldiers to keep their horses so that they could farm. A less conciliatory winning side could have kept the South down for generations.

You Southerners should be worshiping Grant, not vilifying him.

[And just to make sure we are on the same page; this is all in good fun...right?]

56 62, If someone knew what hospital he was in I could be standing next to him in a couple of hours.

57 Posted by: phoenixgirl at September 06, 2011 08:17 AM (eOXTH)

No.  We're hoping a lively discussion argument all-out brawl over the Civil War will lure him back.

58 If someone knew what hospital he was in I could be standing next to him in a couple of hours. Posted by: Oldsailor's poet at September 06, 2011 08:20 AM (ZDUD4) If your really 'Old", ya just might be laying in the bed next to him? One of the few mottos I live by: Stay the hell out of Hospitals at all cost

59

If Even though the North was magnanimous in victory, the South is still an agrarian shithole. Grant allowed the Southern soldiers to keep their horses so that they could farm. A less conciliatory winning side A steady infusion of Democrat leaders could have has kept the South down for generations.

You Southerners should be worshiping Grant, not vilifying him.

 

FIFY

60 But the roads - My God! It's full of cars!

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at September 06, 2011 08:14 AM (OW0nw)

That just proves that there are too many people employed in our education industry.

61 If your really 'Old", ya just might be laying in the bed next to him? One of the few mottos I live by: Stay the hell out of Hospitals at all cost. I'm only in my forties, I could drop him a laptop. Hospitals are like Lawyers. Folks don't much care for them, until you need them.

62 Hospitals are like Lawyers. Folks don't much care for them, until you need them.

Posted by: Oldsailor's poet at September 06, 2011 08:24 AM (ZDUD4)

Amishdude in 5 4 3.....

63

That just proves that there are too many people employed in our education industry.

No kidding.  When I went to school I don't remember a need for "classroom assistants", "lunch monitors" and assorted other straphangers.  Teachers used to do that work.

Did teachers suddenly become much more incompetent since I was in grade school?

Wait.  Don't answer that.

64

32  $200 Billion in dedicated infrastructure spending, annually, for five years. All of which had to go to transportation and energy transmission infrastructure.

And drop the requirement that union labor be used.

65 But the roads - My God! It's full of cars! Posted by: Empire of Jeff It works just the opposite by us, The tourists have packed their shit and are outta here. Normalcy can return.

66 you mean the war of northern aggression?

67 . Hospitals are like Lawyers. Folks don't much care for them, until you need them. Posted by: Oldsailor's poet at September 06, 2011 08:24 AM (ZDUD4) Ya but better not to need them

68 25 Me and the female Tawdry went to DC with the kids and g-kids this weekend.  I knew DC was 75-80% blacks, but I was quite shocked to see that the vast vast majority of them were very richly dressed, adorned with blinding jewelry and drove around in 45-50k cars.  And we stayed in a rented condo in what we were told was a lower middle class neighborhood..."to be careful" we were told.  The cars lining our street was impressive...and in fact so were the condos themselves.

Heh. Yet, if you get behind them in the grocery store they will use food stamps to buy imported cheese.

69

Heh. Yet, if you get behind them in the grocery store they will use food stamps to buy imported cheese.

I've actually seen that at a NoVA Whole Foods.

Hell, I can barely afford that place and I do OK.

70 [And just to make sure we are on the same page; this is all in good fun...right?]

Yes.

If the North had not been so magnanimous in victory, the South would still be an agrarian shithole.

Let me tell you about your carpet-bagging "magnanimity."  Where should I start: First off, even the Northern States recognized the right of cession- it was only due to the economic hit the North would have taken that they suddenly decided that such right didn't exist.  Secession was not rebellion, it was exercising a right which exists in any contract: that is: to dissolve the contract.  Indeed, there is a legal argument to be made that, once the Southern States officially seceded, there ceased to be enough states in the old Union for the Constitution still to be binding on any State.

But let's move on from there: Economically, you required Southern States to accept the same hi-tariff trade-isolationism which caused the problem in the first place (the South had been pro-free trade).  Politically, you wanted (and only Lincoln prevented it you from doing it- the man got it right sometimes) to prevent anyone who had been an officer in the war from being granted any elected office ever again.  This for honestly standing up for a principle you had dropped like a hot iron as soon as it became inconvenient.  Add to that the carpet-baggers themselves, and the lack of any sympathy for the people whose lives and livelihoods were literally destroyed by Grant's use of (this, by the way, is why we hate him- not because he switched sides) General William T. Sherman to decimate the Southern civilians.  You'll excuse me if I don't see a whole lot of "magnanimity" in the North's actions.

71 I feel wrong for thinking Mika Brzezinski on Moaning Joe is kinda hot. Got nothing on Robin Meade though.

72 From South Carolina but do we really need to piss on Lincoln's grave today? We have a more current concern in the White House. Funny about the civility talk. It's almost if it were merely a partisan device to silence the opposition. Reporters are saying about Hoffa et al well you have to understand the Democrats are upset.... Well okay then!

73

You'll excuse me if I don't see a whole lot of "magnanimity" in the North's actions.

Well then, get your revenge. 

Elect Rick Perry.

74 IIRC, Vic told us last Wednesday he'd be gone about a week. Week's up today, Vic. Continued absence without fresh approval will result in a black mark in your Permanent Record.

75 Tell me where Vic is and I'll have that cranky sumbitch out of bed in a flash. I'll wrap him in a Snuggie with Abe Lincoln's portrait silk-screened on it.

76 Posted by: Chuck Z at September 06, 2011 08:24 AM (OITDh)

Ummm... Chuck?  I hate to tell you, but Texas is in the South.  You know, the one where Rick Perry is from?  The one that created 40% of net new jobs in the last two years?  The one where something like 35% of the nation's oil refining capacity sits?  That one?

Let's take a look at employment numbers and industry (hello, rust-belt) and see who's an "agrarian shit hole"

77

No kidding.  When I went to school I don't remember a need for "classroom assistants", "lunch monitors" and assorted other straphangers.  Teachers used to do that work.

The beauty of the catholic school system. Who cleans the tables? The kids. Who monitors the milk? The kids. Who does the clean up on clean up day? The kids and the parents. Who builds the playgrounds, lays the mulch, paints the cafeteria, goes on the field trips, et al? The parents and the kids. Hell, the older kids are responsible for the younger kids during mass and assemblies.

Public school kid asked my catholic school kid what in the world they did during recess with no "climbing wall" or bikes? My son looked at him and said, "we play ball" like, duh.

78 President Lincoln proposed to negotiate an end to the war with a program that would have purchased all slaves. It would have been cheaper than the war, and ended the bloodshed.
Never got off the ground.
God bless William Tecumseh Sherman.
(ducking and running...)

79 Must be those hateful TEA Partiers, terrorists, hobbits, and Republicans. Hopefully, we will receive a good talking to this week to set things straight. "and stuff." Ivy Leaguers - when you thought the worst was over here they come with their ideas.

80 Alright 'Rons and 'Ettes.  I gotta hit discount tire and then head into work.

(Am I the only one who feels nervous when he sees mettle through the rubber on his tires?)

81 Heh. Yet, if you get behind them in the grocery store they will use food stamps to buy imported cheese.

Posted by: dagny at September 06, 2011 08:26 AM (y5ARL)

Then run a second transaction for the booze and pay cash.

82

Posted by: dagny at September 06, 2011 08:32 AM (y5ARL)

This one (of dozens) reason why I want my girl in Catholic school, even with her disability. 

She'll learn character too.

83 Mitt Romney didn't get bashed yesterday (forum thing), so I guess he did great.  Perry doesn't have a telephone or blackberry, so I get why he had to back out of forum.

Actually, it's pretty obvious he backed out because he wasn't prepared for that kind of forum where the candidates where, really, naked preparedness so all you had.  Kudos to DeMint for that (and, I guess, for CNN agreeing to air it).  Maybe he'll be ready by the time of Wednesday's debate after he puts out all the fires.  Single-handedly.

84 Hmmm.  If these are our friends maybe the South should reconsider the donks.

85

You Southerners should be worshiping Grant, not vilifying him.

Holy Fuck. I'm leaving. Go ahead Allen.

86 Posted by: Oily Taints at September 06, 2011 08:28 AM (TUax9)

Mika is a MILF.

Meade is probably 20 years younger and in a different category.

The problem with Mika is that she is so mind-numbingly stupid that any sexual fantasy that doesn't involve a ball gag or something else in her mouth rapidly turns unpleasant.

87 Why not have the local pooooleeece SWAT deliver the USPS while they're going door to door with their no - knock dog shooters. I have cats and finches, so I think the residents here should be safe.

88 (correction)
Actually, it's pretty obvious he backed out because he wasn't prepared for that kind of forum, where the candidates where, really, naked preparedness was all you had.  Kudos to DeMint for that (and, I guess, for CNN agreeing to air it).  Maybe he'll be ready by the time of Wednesday's debate after he puts out all the fires.  Single-handedly.

89 86 President Lincoln proposed to negotiate an end to the war with a program that would have purchased all slaves. It would have been cheaper than the war, and ended the bloodshed.
Never got off the ground.
God bless William Tecumseh Sherman.
(ducking and running...)
  Hey real joe, we once had a Constitutional Government, but the Yankees couldn't restrain themselves. Seems nothing ever changes - Presidents from Illinois just have to transform everybody. What is it with the lack of patience from the north. That and their serious projection problems. Now we need to be colonized again to bail out the north's failures?

90 How come we're refighting the Civil War today?

91

Attention everyone: put your white shoes and purses away until Memorial Day or you're a fashion terrorist.  Those of us in the gentle South know this of course.  I'm just reminding you cretins north of the Mason-Dixon line.

92 How come we're refighting the Civil War today?

Posted by: nevergiveup at September 06, 2011 08:37 AM (i6RpT)

They think it will lure Vic out.....

93 Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) is tired beyond tired of the trolls at September 06, 2011 08:28 AM (KxyHe)

To paraphrase one of our greatest orators: We won.

Sherman taught the South that it had lost. The destruction was calculated and necessary.

94 @Sukie, some black people do have money. I went to school in DC, and trust me, there are poor black people there. You were obviously not in the hood. Of course, a lot of them may be spending money they don't have and be heavily in debt. It often happens.

95 98 NGU,

because it is always more fun to slag each other than focus on Ogabe I guess....

speaking of which according to Sabato Jugears is way ahead on EVs...

96

How come we're refighting the Civil War today?

I was about to ask the same thing.

Sorta reminds me of the Middle East where they talk about the death of some 8th century imam like is happened yesterday over on the next block.

97 98, Apparently it is some twisted homage to Vic.

98 Pp assume for the moment that you can do emergency management solely over a blackberry but you know that he would have been savaged by the press for attending a political debate instead of tending to his state when it is in a crisis. Sometimes doing the right thing has positive PR effects.

99 99

Attention everyone: put your white shoes and purses away until Memorial Day or you're a fashion terrorist.  Those of us in the gentle South know this of course.  I'm just reminding you cretins north of the Mason-Dixon line.

 

In FLA white shoes and belts are always in fashion. Just check out an all you can eat dinner special anywhere.

100 Fashion? Never heard of it.

101

speaking of which according to Sabato Jugears is way ahead on EVs...

Is Sabato factoring in the law changes in Massachusetts and California that award their EVs to the winner of the national popular vote?

102 Of course, a lot of them may be spending money they don't have and be heavily in debt.

Posted by: chique d'afrique (the artist formerly known as african chick) at September 06, 2011 08:38 AM (21lBC)

Well, it is DC. That's what one does.

103

In FLA white shoes and belts are always in fashion.

Belts always worn at chest height, white shoes with black socks only.

Don't forget the pastel Bermuda shorts either.

104 maybe we should all just go stand on his lawn................

105 109 Sean Bannion,

the way the law reads Cali at least doesn't have to do so until a critical mass is reached....

I think he was overly generous to "toss up"...Ohio went red and is not going back people are mistaking the anger over the pain of undoing donkfest as a desire to go back....that simply is not the case.

106 112, That would be funny. Find out where that is and I am there.

107

101 Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) is tired beyond tired of the trolls at September 06, 2011 08:28 AM (KxyHe)

To paraphrase one of our greatest orators: We won.

Sherman taught the South that it had lost. The destruction was calculated and necessary.

 

No, Sherman demonstrated that the Federal Government had no morals. Too bad we didn't take to burning farms, villages, towns and cities. Things might have gone better for us if we had. Moral restraint - an uncommon virture not needed in a colonial enterprise.

108 VDH's book The Soul of Battle discusses Sherman's march. It was calculated to destroy the economic power of the South - the plantations - and succeeded in shortening the war. Better for all concerned.
I am actually sympathetic to the South's position on states rights, but slavery was that 800 lb gorilla in the room, and apparently could not be solved except by war. It is what it is.
Lincoln made it possible for the US to become a world power.

109

Sherman's March should've been conducted in the weeks following the attack on Sumter.  (Those oh so peaceful seccessionists seem to forget that they drew first blood.)

The Anaconda plan was developed and briefed in the early stages of the war, but shelved as too brutal, and possibly crazy.

Eventually, the President saw that this war would continue--as long as the south had the means to provide logistical support to their troops. 

In the long run, Sherman saved lives on both sides by shortening the war.

He had a fan-damn-tastic way of handling IEDs, too.

110 @79 oily taints, gross, just gross! Ewwww

111 A nice Social Security argument will get Vic to come off the sidelines.

112 Gosh, I sure am glad Lincoln didn't have nukes.

113 And Grits are best served with salt and pepper and butter at dinner, and butter and sugar at breakfast.

114

the way the law reads Cali at least doesn't have to do so until a critical mass is reached....

I'd love to see how that's defined.

It would be rich to see JEF get swamped nationally and then for Deep, DEEP Blue MA and CA be forced to award their EVs to the Republican.

It would be high comedy.

115 In FLA white shoes and belts are always in fashion. Just check out an all you can eat dinner special anywhere.

At the peak dinner hour, around 3:30 pm.

116 And Andersonville permanently absolves any atrocities by Sherman.

117 The problem with Mika is that she is so mind-numbingly stupid that any sexual fantasy that doesn't involve a ball gag or something else in her mouth rapidly turns unpleasant.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo (NJConservative)) at September 06, 2011 08:35 AM (LH6ir)

 

Even with a ball gag, you'd still have to suffer through her eye rolling assorted other melodramatic theatrics.  Teh stupid oozes through her pores, it would get all over you.

118 No white after labor day, and no pastels after Miami Vice was cancelled.

119

And Andersonville alone permanently absolves any atrocities by Sherman.

FIFY

120 117 VDH's book The Soul of Battle discusses Sherman's march. It was calculated to destroy the economic power of the South - the plantations - and succeeded in shortening the war. Better for all concerned.
I am actually sympathetic to the South's position on states rights, but slavery was that 800 lb gorilla in the room, and apparently could not be solved except by war. It is what it is.
Lincoln made it possible for the US to become a world power.
  Revisionist in the extreme. Lincoln broke the crystal vase that was the Constitution. Instead of mending it, he decided to bleed a generation. Talk about a country bumpkin in over his head. Please recall it was the South that won the revolution, not the north. Hell, Yankees were entertaining their British betters in NYC while Yorktown was won. Sound familiar?

121 Posted by: Paris Paramus at September 06, 2011 08:35 AM (kfz40)

I live about 15 miles south of the nearest wildfire in the Houston area, and I appreciate Perry's gesture.

122 123 ...at the smorgasbord?

123 The problem with Mika is that she is so mind-numbingly stupid that any sexual fantasy that doesn't involve a ball gag or something else in her mouth rapidly turns unpleasant.

She's the one who said Lincoln was her favorite founding father, right?

124

Posted by: Blaster at September 06, 2011 08:38 AM (Fw2Gg)

Given that Austin is, what, a 2-3 hour flight from SC, he has a staff, and the telephone was invented, I think he could have taken several hours on one day to do this. The fires didn't start yesterday, and won't end tomorrow. 

If something exceptional requiring his physical presence in Texas happened yesterday, I withdraw my snark, but I'm unaware of it.  I suspect he discovered the reality of the format, and got scared.  Otherwise he/you are kind of calling into question the ability of a sitting governor to campaign for President.

125 127

And Andersonville alone permanently absolves any atrocities by Sherman.

FIFY

 

Don't bother reading about Chicago and Point Pleasant prisons. You will not like the result. Also, lose the colletive guilt bullshit. You will end up thinking like a liberal. Collective guilt, the get out of jail free card. Ask Al Sharpton or Jessie how it works.

126

So, Sherman=all of the north, but Andersonville /= all of the South?

I never did understand collective guilt.

127 I suspect he discovered the reality of the format, and got scared.  Otherwise he/you are kind of calling into question the ability of a sitting governor to campaign for President.

Posted by: Paris Paramus at September 06, 2011 08:49 AM (kfz40)

Yeah, he strikes me as a real scaredy-cat.

*rolleyes*

128

Ask Al Sharpton or Jessie how it works.

It seems to work OK for them.  That's how they made their money.

129 @132 The fires didn't start yesterday

Correct, but 25 mph wind gusts from Lee, plus a northern cold front did come yesterday, greatly exacerbating the situation. The wind has died down a lot today, but I think it's picking up to about 10-15 mph this afternoon.

130

I never did understand collective guilt.

That's because you were educated in the North.

131 Look, I'm just glad the slaves were freed or else I may not be here (in the US, I mean). Count me severely biased.

132 Wait, wait.  That was Jimmy Hoffa Junior?   What happened to the old man?

133 Posted by: Paris Paramus at September 06, 2011 08:49 AM (kfz40)

You are holding him to a ridiculous standard. His state is in the midst of a catastrophe, and his presence is required for many reasons -- political, emotional, etc. Of course he can conduct most of his business from afar, but would the MBM have communicated that to potential voters, or would they have eviscerated him?

134

Morning, all!  I hope everyone had an enjoyable Labor Day weekend, and I further hope that our Texas 'rons and 'ronettes are all keeping safe in light of the wildfires.  I wish I could send you some of the rain we keep getting here in the northeast.  You need it far, far more than we do!  I'll be praying for a quick resolution for y'all, with as little damage done as possible.

I have been AWOL from the blog -- and from the world of politics in general -- for the long weekend, but I come back today to find that I missed a veritable smorgasbord of leftist bullshit.  From Tubby Hoffa, Jr.'s, union army rant, to the AGW kerfluffle that made that science journal editor resign, to being called a "barbarian at the gate" by Dumbfuck Biden, to Al Sharpton only now discovering that Rush Limbaugh has a black call screener (the forever awesome Bo Snerdley).  There's been so much stupidity spewed from the left this weekend that I'm a little awestruck there don't seem to be any choice gems from the SCOAMFOTUS himself.  Or did he say something monumentally stupid that I also missed via rampant antipathy? 

135

And for the Perry cancelling to go home to deal with disaster,

It's called leadership.  He's the governor.  George W. could've handled the 9/11 federal response from the White House, AF1, or even from the Beast. But he showed up on 9/12. 

Compare that to SCOAMF's response to a) the gulf oil spill, b) Irene c) Tornadoes in April 14-16 2011, d) Joplin Tornado e) Hurricaine Ike.

When bad stuff happens, leaders go to the sound of the guns.  You have to see and be seen.  You have to show your support, whether it's just shaking hands and reassuring people that you are aware, that you care, and that their government is going to do something to help them.

136

Or did he say something monumentally stupid that I also missed via rampant antipathy?

Is there ever a day when that doesn't happen?

 

137 This morning on NPR:

Looking back on the decade after Sept 11 they conclude that the intelligence community is sharing too much information.  Remember Jamie Gorelick and the wall?  They think it would be a great idea to bring that back.

138 AdvoCare 500, ESPN, 11:00 AM ET.

139 Even with a ball gag, you'd still have to suffer through her eye rolling assorted other melodramatic theatrics. Not if you were pounding her squish mitten from behind.

140 Plus, it's not like he can call Dewhurst and get him to take down the Neiman Marcus curtains from the rental mansion, amirite?

141

Not if you were pounding her squish mitten from behind.

"Squish mitten"

I've never heard that before.  And here I thought that after spending all that time in the cavalry I had heard it all.

I am so using that.

142 No kidding.  When I went to school I don't remember a need for "classroom assistants", "lunch monitors" and assorted other straphangers.  Teachers used to do that work.

You need to thank the AFT and MEA for these kinds of things.  They lobby the legislatures for laws mandating them and the votemongers are too happy to appease such a big voting block.  That's how we end up with teachers having mandated blocks of time during the day for "planning."  In our state, they can't be asked to do anything work-related during those times or they must be compensated in some way.

Until lobbying is outlawed, this will continue to happen.

143 Yeah, PP, your arguments are kind of a stretch. He's still the governor of TX and he has a job to do, which he won't simply abandon just because he's running for president. Have any other governor presidential candidates had natural or unnatural disasters happening in their home states during the campaign? (I don't know, which is why I'm asking.)

144

When bad stuff happens, leaders go to the sound of the guns.  You have to see and be seen.  You have to show your support, whether it's just shaking hands and reassuring people that you are aware, that you care, and that their government is going to do something to help them.

Posted by: Chuck Z at September 06, 2011 08:58 AM (OITDh)

This.  Frankly, if Governor Perry had not chosen to return to Texas in the midst of this crisis, he would have sunk very, very low in my estimation.  He's not President (yet), and his duty is to the people of Texas, not to his campaign.  I'd like to know that, if he succeeds in his Presidential bid, I can count on him to put the well-being of the American people ahead of his own political aims. 

For a demonstration of what not to do when a crisis erupts, see Cameron, David, Prime Minister of Britain, who decided to return from holiday to deal with the UK riots after several days had passed with no end in sight.  That is not leadership.  That is sticking your fingers in your ears and hoping a problem just disappears.

145 Until lobbying  the 1st amendment is outlawed, this will continue to happen.

Posted by: Iron Balls McGinty at September 06, 2011 09:03 AM (Gkhxf)

FIFY

146

Is there ever a day when that doesn't happen?

 Posted by: Sean Bannion at September 06, 2011 08:59 AM (sbV1u)

 

Funny you should say that.  Every day after work, when I talk to my dad, one of the first things I invariably ask him is, "So, did our idiot President say anything stupid today?" 

9.5 times out of 10, the answer is, "You have to ask?"

147 Perry's manuever was not unprecedented.  Didn't you see photos of me manning the phones at the hurricane center?  We had charts and graphs and shit.

148 Yeah, what was George W. Bush doing at the WTC site right after 9-11, anyway? Conducting rescue efforts? Single-handedly? /Romnolent logic

149

When Barack Obama unveils his jobs and economic plan to a joint session of Congress on Thursday, he'll do so at the lowest point of his presidency, according to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.

After the bruising debt-ceiling fight — as well as Standard & Poor's subsequent downgrade of the nation's credit rating — Obama's job approval rating has sunk to a low of 44 percent, a 3-point drop since July. His handling of the economy stands at a low of 37 percent. And only 19 percent believe the country is headed in the right direction, the lowest mark for this president.

If there's a silver lining for Obama, it's that a combined 70 percent of respondents still find him likeable (though nearly six in 10 say they disapprove of many of his policies)

 

Have no fear! Barry's wonder speech will make everything unicorns and Skittles again!

150 Yeah, what was George W. Bush doing at the WTC site right after 9-11, anyway? Conducting rescue efforts? Single-handedly?

A simple fly-over ala Katrina would have sufficed, I'm sure.

151 The difference between Perry and the rest of the candidates is the rest of the candidates are either Congressman, which apparently is a part time job, or they have the word former in front of their title. Perry most certainly did the right thing.

152

What I still can't figure out is why polls have Obama job approval, right track/wrong track, and handling of the economy in the tank....but people still loves them some Barry.

WTF???

There's either some industrial-grade stupid out there, or people don't want to be pegged as "racists."

My money's on the latter, but I'd love to find a methodology for finding out which is true.

Somehow, I don't think polling and asking people "Are you a racist?" is going to get to the core of the issue.

153 Darn it, sock off.

154 You cynics should lay off Perry.  No -win situation with too many out there...  if he debates, would be attacked for placing campaign abover needs of State; and putting State affairs ahead, he is criticized for returning to show leadership and concern. 

If someone wants to find fault, they'll find it.  As a Texan, I was looking forward to seeing him in a mini-debate with the others, BUT I am glad he returned.  Active crisis like these large fires near cities require , often times, the clout of the Governor on the scene making decisions and ensuring what he wants done gets done and bad decisions get minimized.

155 6 Morning Joe doesn't think Perry can win because he's expressed support for repealing the 17th Amendment (and as all constitutional scholars know, a president can repeal an amendment with the stroke of a pen). Many Americans are morons and don't even know what the 17th Amendment says. Many Americans have not read the Constitution or the Amendments. So if the left thinks they are going to paint Perry with the colors of some guy who is going to destroy the Constitution....well - let's look at the record of the guy who is actually destroying the Constitution and why Rick Perry will be President.

156 exactly!

157 I'm a Perry guy, but Romney's looks ready to kick some ass with this 160 page plan. There's a joke in here contrasting this to Cain's "no bill over 3 pages" pledge, but I've got nothing.

158 Yeah, and the feds have done a bang up job ever since. I'm especially impressed with the great society and the war on poverty.

159 Its war, I say, WAR!!!! Jimmy Hoffa Found!........To Be Violent Nutcase

160 STOP leading EoJ into areas where he can treat us with his unique views .....before noon. It's just too early for me to visualize "squish mitten".

161 I, for one, am glad I'm on the barbarian side in this "war".

162 Its war, I say, WAR!!!! Jimmy Hoffa Found!....To Be Violent Nutcase Html is har-r-r-r-d...

163 @23, 30 -- Thanks for the info.  Just got back from first-day-of-school errands!  What a shocker about our morning newsman.  And, Vic, if you're scanning this at any point in post-op boredom/recuperation, prayers for a speedy and pain-free recovery.

164 Those Romans laughed at the barbarians,  too.

Right up to the point where they ransacked the Forum.

165

“They send our jobs to China.” -- Jimmy Hoffa, Jr.

The Labor Movement has done more than anybody to send jobs offshore.

I found this interesting because, Japan's NHK had a comment last night that one of the problems for the new Japanese government is trying to keep jobs from being relocated offshore.  The March earthquake has many Japanese businesses thinking about rebuilding elsewhere.

166 Prayers to Vic and the Texans who have lost their homes. And I agree that Perry needed to be back in Texas, offering support and encouragement to the families going through this ordeal. And I am still aghast at the "uncivil" rhetoric coming from the Donks. I shudder to think of the mess their brains are, that they can demand civility from conservatives, and spew this hatred themselves, and not think twice.

167 Is there a conservative argument in favor of killing the 17th amendment?

My state legislature is probably not unique in that it's even more fubar than DC.  No way in hell do I want those corrupt retards picking my senator.

168 I guess I'm in the minority of giving Romney the benefit of the doubt on his economic plan. Based on his USA Today summation, it appears to be something we could all agree on.

169 I am still reeling from Monday's declaration of war by the POTUS against me and all other supporters of right-to-work.  Never have I heard a more devisive and venom-filled speech by a president directed at more than 90% of the population that he purports to represent.  I forced myself to listen to his entire diatribe thinking that there would be, somwhere in the speech,  a redemptive statement that would inspire us all, as Americans, in spite of our differences to pull together for the good of the country.  Sadly there was none.  The whole speech left me confused, angry, and, most of all, SAD that this country has had to endure this SCFOMF for the last two years and disheartened that we still have two more years to go.  Somebody please  tell me that this nightmare will be over soon! 

170 Posted by: Paris Paramus

Cornbrero is a jealous god.

171 Obama is a stuttering clusterf*ck of a miserable failure.

172 I'm sure Vic is hitting that morphine button like it is the refresh icon for AoShq.

173 There's something amusing about Romneybots going after Perry for remaining in his state and skipping the debate during the bad fire.

I'm reminded of a time when MA was hit with some routine flooding, and Mitt - in his final year as Governor and preparing to launch his first presidential bid - used the occasion to don a lumberjack shirt and appear in front of as many cameras as he could, discussing how he was on top of things.

Now I'm sure every one of them would say that Mitt needed to be on-site in front of tons of cameras wearing a lumberjack shirt since he was governor of the state.  I'm curious though to hear the nuance of why Perry skipping a debate to monitor an out-of-control wildfire is bad if Mitt's much more pandering behavior is acceptable.

174 How about cl*sterfuck?

175 Posted by: Bevel Lemelisk at September 06, 2011 01:43 PM (FkKjr)

You mean this?

Romney is walking a tightrope between genuine public safety concerns and his political ambitions, according to Paul Watanabe, professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts-Boston.

"There's a very fine line between paying enough attention to a situation and not appearing to be negligent, and paying so much attention that one escalates the crisis." he said. "His looting comment on national television I think left a lot of people scratching their heads."