May 19, 2013

Senior Advisor to Obama: "The Law Is Irrelevant."
— Gabriel Malor

The White House has decided not to take seriously either the accelerating Benghazi scandal (more on that here) or the IRS scandal. Obama flatterist Dan Pfeiffer decided that "irrelevant" is the word of the day.

When asked on ABCÂ’s This Week whether President Obama believes the IRS broke laws when it harassed conservative groups and released confidential donor information to Pro Publica, Pfeiffer dismissed the idea:

"I canÂ’t speak to the law here. The law is irrelevant. The activity was outrageous and inexcusable, and it was stopped and it needs to be fixed so we ensure it never happens again."

There is a fundamental disconnect between the White House's actions and the White House's words on the IRS scandal. The White House has repeatedly claimed that the President is "outraged" over the targeting -- but there are surprisingly few actual consequences for outraging the leader of the free world. One of the folks involved in harassing conservatives got a promotion. Another got several thousands of dollars in bonuses. Even the thought of legal consequences is tossed aside as "irrelevant."

There seems to be a concerted effort to suggest that nothing illegal occurred at the IRS. For example, the Washington Post's Aaron Blake suggests that nobody is going to jail over the IRS thing because he cannot put their finger on just what crime occurred. Astonishingly, he misses the most obvious of crimes related to the IRS scandal -- the public release of confidential information, something punishable by up to a year's jail time.

Far from being irrelevant, the legality of IRS behavior is a key issue. We know that neither the IRS, nor the Obama Administration, is going to hold anyone seriously accountable for IRS malfeasance. The so-called resignation of acting IRS Commissioner Steven Miller, who was set to resign anyway, demonstrated that clearly. This gives us little choice but to turn to the law in the hopes that IRS officials can be scared into proper behavior and other federal bureaucrats can be deterred from similar misadventures in anti-conservative discrimination.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 09:51 AM | Comments (285)
Post contains 356 words, total size 3 kb.

1 Isn't 'irrelevant' the short form of 'what does it matter?'

Posted by: epobirs at May 19, 2013 09:53 AM (kcfmt)

2 Unbelievable spin.  good luck with that

Posted by: Yip at May 19, 2013 09:55 AM (/jHWN)

3 "Shut Up" they explained.

Posted by: Grover's at May 19, 2013 09:55 AM (9aKQB)

4 It happened, in your mouth.  Let's move on.

Posted by: Dan Pffieffr at May 19, 2013 09:55 AM (bAGA/)

5 Well violation of USC 7213, for a start, of course, the Treasury IG would have to refer it to the US Attorney. since he doesn't even identify the persons responsible, that seems like a hard slog.

Posted by: cornelius, waiting for the Cobalt bomb at May 19, 2013 09:56 AM (Jsiw/)

6 Obama's 'outrage' will be followed courageously with promotions, raises, and bonuses for all involved. The dimwit had no idea what good work Miller and crowd were doing until the numbers started emerging.

Posted by: pat at May 19, 2013 09:57 AM (LLHgu)

7 4 it felt more like a pineapple inserted sideways into my rectum......

Posted by: phoenixgirl at May 19, 2013 09:57 AM (GVxQo)

8 I want to see a Special Counsel and I want to see everyone of these crooked SOBs say the law is irrelevant from a jail sell while being pounded in the ass by a 600 pound knuckle dragger.

Posted by: Vic at May 19, 2013 09:57 AM (53z96)

9 the leader of the free world It is getting to be time to retire that phrase.

Posted by: rickl at May 19, 2013 09:58 AM (sdi6R)

10 this administration keeps talking about the "integrity of the investigation" let's have a national discussion on the integrity of this administration...........

Posted by: phoenixgirl at May 19, 2013 09:58 AM (GVxQo)

11 We know that Obama and Holder will do nothing.  It is up to the House to charge them with criminal contempt of Congress.  It then automatically goes to the DC district court who is required to empanel a Grand Jury, thus bypassing Holder.

Posted by: Vic at May 19, 2013 09:59 AM (53z96)

12 Rocket science?  Irrelevant!

Posted by: Alphred E Einstein at May 19, 2013 09:59 AM (2iU3x)

13 The President has crossed the Rubicon. We officially live under a Dictatorship.

Posted by: Obama's Rubicon at May 19, 2013 10:00 AM (rCS6C)

14 This type of behavior from the "government" gives conspiracy theorists all the ammo they need. And honestly, how do we have a rational argument against their claims? The government does in fact spy and conspire against certain groups and individuals. What else has it done?Nothing seems too far fetched.

Posted by: mare at May 19, 2013 10:00 AM (A98Xu)

15 thank you Gabe. I've been waiting for a relevant thread; didn't want to derail the book thread for this.

Politico, h/t Drudge: White House senior adviser Dan Pfeiffer on Sunday defended the Obama administration's handling of the IRS scandal."What would be an actual real scandal in Washington would be if the president had been involved or had interfered in an IRS investigation," Pfeiffer said on CBS's "Face the Nation."

With all the respect that is due to Pfeiffer, he is a liar and a weasel.

What the IRS and other bureaucracies having been doing is precisely a Washington scandal, that goes far beyond what Obama did. It is a scandal for the entire US Government.

And it is even MORE of a Washington scandal is Obama (somehow) is uninvolved. Because if Obama was out of the loop, then the IRS and the other alphabets did all this on their own. They had a coup and Obama didn't know.

Posted by: boulder t'hobo at May 19, 2013 10:00 AM (QTHTd)

16 There's even case law on the matter, US v. Richey, but they are the lawless ones, consider this Malis character who was running the leak investigation, seems to have netted everyone but the target.

Posted by: cornelius, waiting for the Cobalt bomb at May 19, 2013 10:01 AM (Jsiw/)

17 There is a new thread up on the lying jackholes today.

Posted by: Vic at May 19, 2013 10:01 AM (53z96)

18 Ugh, typo gnomes.

"What the IRS and other bureaucracies have been doing"; And it is even MORE of a Washington scandal if Obama (somehow) is uninvolved.

Posted by: boulder t'hobo at May 19, 2013 10:01 AM (QTHTd)

19

Another got several thousands of dollars in bonuses. Even the thought of legal consequences is tossed aside as "irrelevant

 

One of the radio shows mentioned that the only way she could have gotten bonuses that big is by presidential approval.

Posted by: buzzion at May 19, 2013 10:01 AM (LI48c)

20 Oops, wrong thread

Posted by: Vic at May 19, 2013 10:01 AM (53z96)

21 We need to get rid of the IRS and institute a flat tax or a national sales tax.  No other taxes except gasoline (to pay for roads).  No loopholes.  No breaks.  No incentives. NO IRS

Posted by: Lemmiwinks at May 19, 2013 10:02 AM (SkyIE)

22 “Everything comes from the top.” Not news. Known to every bottom.

Posted by: USA at May 19, 2013 10:02 AM (VIaw0)

23 Because I'm Prezident, that's why. Now leave me alone while I eat my waffles and then go golfing!

/liberals swoon at his ability to articulate....

Posted by: Lord god Obama at May 19, 2013 10:03 AM (z63Tr)

24

Hey it's Summer time.

 

Do we take a page from the other side and have a few riots?

Rather than hitting the Nike, Mickey D's and Starbucks, we could invade the NYT Building or NBC?  Stage a 60's favorite, the sit in?

Posted by: rd at May 19, 2013 10:06 AM (D+lxs)

25 Pfeiffer is on now. Do they not understand we don't believe a fucking word they say.

Posted by: RWC at May 19, 2013 10:06 AM (Wl/Ht)

26 Can we now use 'sorrry, it won't happen again' if we break the law?

Posted by: RWC at May 19, 2013 10:07 AM (Wl/Ht)

27 Pfeiffer also said it was irrelevant what the Barkster was doing the night of Benghazi. If it's irrelevant I suspect it is even worse than what I figured which was he was snoring.

Posted by: WalrusRex at May 19, 2013 10:07 AM (VlXYw)

28 I didn't realize it was legal for an employee of a Federal agency to engage in partisan politics on the taxpayer dime. Learned something new. I just had a 'What would Reagan do?' moment. He'd probably sack every stinking one of them. Accountants are a dime a dozen. Accountants that have a collection rate of 83% in a time of trillion dollar deficits are hardly proving their value. I don't know of one collection agent for a private business who would survive a year with that kind of record of non-achievement.

Posted by: Name Withheld Upon Request [/i] at May 19, 2013 10:07 AM (U2UQk)

29 Look at the polls everyone. http://alturl.com/ydubi These stories have done no damage to Obama. This blog like the rest of the Republican propaganda machine is lying to you. They lied about the election being a slam dunk for Mitt Romney. How can you trust liars?

Posted by: We are the Champions at May 19, 2013 10:07 AM (YmrPd)

30 the leader of the free world It is getting to be time to retire that phrase. Posted by: rickl at May 19, 2013 01:58 PM I don't think he's The Don or The Consiglieri so he's just a Grifter

Posted by: Dept. Of Acuracy at May 19, 2013 10:07 AM (MhA4j)

31 >>>17 There is a new thread up on the lying jackholes today. Posted by: Vic at May 19, 2013 02:01 PM (53z96) I would pay to watch Vic read the news on Fox.

Posted by: USA at May 19, 2013 10:07 AM (VIaw0)

32 *   crickets  *

Posted by: Hillary Clinton at May 19, 2013 10:08 AM (GQ72I)

33
I was actually dumbfounded the administration doubled down on teh stoopid this morning.

Ive got Brett Wallaces program marked to watch.   Mrs Fixer has all the throwable stuff removed from the living room.

Posted by: fixerupper at May 19, 2013 10:08 AM (IrLKP)

34 >>>We need to get rid of the IRS and institute a flat tax or a national sales tax. No other taxes except gasoline (to pay for roads). No loopholes. No breaks. No incentives. NO IRS I could go for an across the board sales tax. Screw the gas tax. The federal government has 2 simple jobs: national defense and interstate roads. Shut everything else down. I am sick and tired of the excuse that we need to put an extra tax on certain things to fund shit the the government is supposed to do in the first place with existing dollars. BTW- "roads" does not include turtle bridges. If hippies was turtle bridges, they can fund them themselves or have a bake sale or something.

Posted by: Damiano at May 19, 2013 10:10 AM (BzT5x)

35 29 Look at the polls everyone.
xx

Who's home to chat with pollsters? Low Information Voters, that's who.

Lord O. could be found in bed with a young boy, a goat and a camel, and they would still swoon over him.

Posted by: shibumi at May 19, 2013 10:10 AM (z63Tr)

36 I didn't realize it was legal for an employee of a Federal agency to engage in partisan politics on the taxpayer dime. Learned something new. --- There's no controlling legal authority.

Posted by: Al Gore at May 19, 2013 10:12 AM (VlXYw)

37 @29 Thankfully the IRS kept the Tea Party preoccupied with audits and bullshit runarounds huh fucknuts. Wipe your chin.

Posted by: RWC at May 19, 2013 10:12 AM (Wl/Ht)

38 Unless and until we have someone on our side that can 'splain to the masses WHY IT MATTERS...it doesn't.
Those that put him in office would do it again TOMORROW...
Because we have NOBODY who can effectively 'splain why not!!!!
GAMEOVER...one big circle jerk

Posted by: getonwithit at May 19, 2013 10:12 AM (MbeEN)

39 It doesn't appear what was done by the "low-level" IRS employees was a crime. However, if it could be shown that orders were given to them to "slow-down" the applications then there might be a case for criminal conspiracy. 

That kind of investigation would require a special prosecutor be appointed by the AG or POTUS.  Unfortunately, I don't believe that will ever happen.

Posted by: Not an Artist at May 19, 2013 10:12 AM (uRumV)

40 Key officials in our highest offices, both elected and appointed, including the President himself... are unrepentant criminals who are neither guided nor restrained by the rule of law.

I see only one course of action here.

Posted by: Publius Cornelius Agulhas at May 19, 2013 10:13 AM (qjyQp)

41 Posted by: fixerupper at May 19, 2013 02:08 PM (IrLKP) Brett Wallace?

Posted by: RWC at May 19, 2013 10:13 AM (Wl/Ht)

42

If I was President for a week, the entire Cincinnati IRS Office and in DC would be reassigned to their new location, Pt Barrow Alaska.

The BATFE would be sent to Chihuahau Mexico to round up the guns they sent to Mexico.

Everyone in the State Dept, Nat Security, CIA and DOD that was involved in Benghazi would be posted to Benghazi or Baghdad. 

Posted by: rd at May 19, 2013 10:14 AM (D+lxs)

43 You know what's cute about 29? These people are proud to be extremely ignorant. Look at the company you keep 29. 3rd grade reading level is considered an accomplishment.

Posted by: RWC at May 19, 2013 10:15 AM (Wl/Ht)

44 AT THIS POINT WHAT DOES IT MATTER?!?!

Posted by: Truck Monkey at May 19, 2013 10:15 AM (jucos)

45

I think we have been told by the Obama administration that we better shut our mouths if we don't agree with what is happening to our country.  "we can read your emails, listen to your phone calls, broadcast your tax returns, regulate your business into oblivion, and treat you any way we like" and there is nothing you can do about it.  We can take your house, your job, your children, and sooner we are going to take away your guns.  So you better watch how you vote, because we sure are.

 

Posted by: lan sing at May 19, 2013 10:15 AM (KZadm)

46 >>It doesn't appear what was done by the "low-level" IRS employees was a crime. How is targeting specific people or groups because of their political beliefs by members of the government not illegal? The changes this country has gone through in my lifetime are amazing. We are now debating what is and what isn't legal despite having specific statues and laws that clearly lay out what is illegal behavior.

Posted by: JackStraw at May 19, 2013 10:17 AM (g1DWB)

47 When the IRS calls us our number, do we say, "The law is irrelevant"? Hell no. Hey, IRS. BATF. OHSA. FBI. EPA. We're calling your number. You better not try that shit.

Posted by: Cowboy at May 19, 2013 10:17 AM (FMrA0)

48

"No controlling legal authority"

-- mystery quote otd

Posted by: 29Victor at May 19, 2013 10:18 AM (ES9R7)

49 With all due respect, Gabe, you're coming at this as a lawyer, thinking that the niceities of courts, procedures and metaphisical, uncorruptable justice is the remedy. Pfeiffer is 100% right. We don't have the rule of law. It's said than ignorance of the law is no excuse. This is fine when the law is based on predictable, logical conclusions based on fundamental principles. But who's to even guess what the law is now when it is invented by judges or made out of whole cloth by bureaucrats ("the secretary shall determine..."). I suppose rule by "wise" experts has its place, if it's universal. But, as is inevitable, it is a conveyer belt for corruption and this administration is shameless about it. There is no arcane legal procedure that will save us from this, no white-hatted lawyers who can dig a republic out of these oligarchical ashes. Excessive legalism has caused this problem, it's not going to solve it.

Posted by: AmishDude at May 19, 2013 10:19 AM (y56yu)

50 FYNQ

Posted by: Preznit Urkel X at May 19, 2013 10:19 AM (jucos)

51 Reported from prior thread because it's more relevant here. --- Brit Hume ‏@brithume WH's Dan Pfeiffer is a nice man. It's abusive of Obama to send him on Sunday shows with no more to say than he had today. Lame answers --- Barky doesn't know what to do now that the media isn't reflexively believing his lies.

Posted by: WalrusRex at May 19, 2013 10:20 AM (VlXYw)

52 A number of Dem Congress-turkeys sent letters to the IRS asking for extra scrutiny to be applied to rightie groups.

Those letters are effectively addressed to the president, and the idea that he didn't know about them is laughable. An executive who didn't condone the idea of extra scrutiny would have immediately told the IRS officials to not only ignore the letters but to actively avoid such discrimination to the point of conspicuously denouncing the Congress-turkeys.

He knew and he allowed it to happen. Period.

Posted by: weft cut-loop [/i] [/b] at May 19, 2013 10:21 AM (YTstp)

53 "No laws for the enforcer" is a terrifying place to live.

Posted by: 29Victor at May 19, 2013 10:21 AM (ES9R7)

54 43 RWC All that matters is that Obama is winning. I laugh seeing Republicans thinking they have Obama cornered only for him to come out stronger time and time again. We Democrats won this round.

Posted by: We are the Champions at May 19, 2013 10:21 AM (YmrPd)

55 What difference, at this point, does it make?

Posted by: shredded chi at May 19, 2013 10:22 AM (WtnIG)

56 >>>Look at the polls everyone. These stories have done no damage to Obama. Glad you're proud of the fact that more than half the country are fucking imbeciles. Hope you enjoy it. What you don't understand is that while you are celebrating willful ignorance and stupidity, your free shit is continuing to dry up and your elected messiah is the cause of it. Once the economy collapse and people like me refuse to continue to support your worthless ass, let me know how allowing SCOAMT to skate on this shit works out for you. Let me know if he invites you to live with him and Jay Z and Beyonce in Cuba, you ignorant fuck.

Posted by: Damiano at May 19, 2013 10:22 AM (BzT5x)

57 Churchill bust . . . same guy said it was not returned by the White House. This guy has a habit of making crap up.

Posted by: djschloss at May 19, 2013 10:23 AM (NScdt)

58 46 >>It doesn't appear what was done by the "low-level" IRS employees was a crime.

How is targeting specific people or groups because of their political beliefs by members of the government not illegal?

Posted by: JackStraw at May 19, 2013 02:17 PM (g1DWB)

----------------------

I agree, but you have to prove that they were targeted because of their political beliefs.  To do that, you have to investigate.  Congress is limited in their ability to investigate.  Only a special prosecutor would have the power to get to the bottom of the question "who told who to do what".  Even then it's more likely that people would be convicted of lying to a grand jury rather than admitting to a criminal conspiracy.

Posted by: Not an Artist at May 19, 2013 10:23 AM (uRumV)

59 Awesome Lacrosse game just finished. Denver down 6-0 in the 1st quarter claws their way back to win 12-11 against North Carolina in the last 13 seconds. Up shortly: less than 10 minutes Duke vs Notre Dame in NCAA Div I Lacrosse Tournament Quarterfinals on ESPNU.

Posted by: Staff at May 19, 2013 10:24 AM (ZR4Xh)

60 Someone help me out here.  Was the president outraged that the IRS was targeting conservative groups or was he outraged that they got caught at it?

Posted by: Seamus Muldoon loves blue skies at May 19, 2013 10:24 AM (pxDth)

61 Gimme government checks and butt sex!

Posted by: We are the Champions at May 19, 2013 10:25 AM (ZETiK)

62 I think the administration has proven the law is irrelevant with their selective enforcement.  Voter intimidation, so what?  DOMA, we don't agree with it and won't defend it.  I'm sure there are other examples, but those are the ones that come immediately to mind. 

Posted by: no good deed at May 19, 2013 10:25 AM (mjR67)

63 Question of the day, Seamus. Question of the day.

Posted by: shredded chi at May 19, 2013 10:26 AM (WtnIG)

64

Let's see, if this a plot to destroy USA, it does look like Act 3...

Any bets on when Marshall "Law" will be enacted?

It's the Chicago way:

Irrelevant...

 

 

Posted by: Oneof313M at May 19, 2013 10:26 AM (C9O2e)

65 Gabe, you aren't going far enough: This gives us little choice but to turn to the law in the hopes that IRS officials can be scared into proper behavior and other federal bureaucrats can be deterred from similar misadventures in anti-conservative discrimination. This leviathan cannot be "re-trained" or fixed. Even if we jail every miscreant statist bureaucrat and replace them all with well-intentioned conservatives, the problems will recur. The fundamental danger is that the federal government is too powerful for ANYBODY to be trusted with the reins. The only response that will work is a radical reduction in its authority, size, and budget. By radical, I mean a near-overreaction. We need a "Night Watchman State." The federal government is Sauron's Ring.

Posted by: OhioCoastie at May 19, 2013 10:26 AM (pKCuj)

66 56 Damiano You think everyone who voted for Obama gets free shit? That is part of the reason why you lose to this giant of a man time and time again. We support Obama because he cares about us and is preventing you racists from taking over and taking us back to the past. Obama won the wealthiest districts in the country, look it up. Democrats are a broad based coalition that reflects every sector of America. BTW, it is red states who have the highest amount of people getting free shit.

Posted by: We are the Champions at May 19, 2013 10:27 AM (YmrPd)

67 A group in Texas called True The Vote applied for 501c status and this is what happened: The IRS came auditing everybody, wanting emails, Facebook pages, lists of names, personal histories, future plans, political ideologies, religious beliefs, you name it. The kitchen sink. Then the audits started. Then the FBI came knocking. Followed by the BATF. Then OSHA. Then the Democrat Party filed lawsuits, followed by ACORN affiliated groups. Then Texas Commission on Environmental Quality came knocking. A great big Wall of Doom came crashing down, why? Because they are a voter id advocacy group, and if they want to make Democrat voters jump through hoops, why, then they can jump through hoops themselves. Only fair, to a certain way of thinking. And, if nobody can find any evidence of a criminal conspiracy or abuse of office behind any of this, then I'm out. I'm done. I'm withdrawing my consent. I will not be governed by monsters. No way.

Posted by: Cowboy at May 19, 2013 10:27 AM (FMrA0)

68 Dammit. Is it too much to be allowed to use the BLOCKQUOTE tag?

Posted by: OhioCoastie at May 19, 2013 10:27 AM (pKCuj)

69 This is bad though.  IRS has enforcement authority.  Gun wearing agents even.  At what point do a healthy percentage of us don't automatically respect their authority and their rule of law and fairness?

We've all heard or read stories of abuse and people unfairly ruined over the years.  This just notches it all up a bit and makes the black helo's and the armored ATF van in the neighborhood and the FBI all seem to be part of the system that selectively persecutes and destroys enemies of the state....

Posted by: Yip at May 19, 2013 10:28 AM (/jHWN)

70 We need to get rid of the IRS and institute a flat tax or a national sales tax. Final point of sale Sales tax. It catches all the illegals, & allows us to save the bulk of our income. I think art laffer said 17% flat tax would cover true government needs like defense. Wonder what percent sales tax he would call for.

Posted by: bebe's boobs destroy at May 19, 2013 10:28 AM (KW9YT)

71 Pheifer statement today that he knew about it last year drew this tweet from Issa: Darrell Issa ✔ @DarrellIssa Where was @danpfeiffer44 when @RepJimJordan and I were being given false and misleading statements by IRS this time last year? Excellent question. This ain't going away.

Posted by: USA at May 19, 2013 10:28 AM (VIaw0)

72 I'd love for Obama to come in my mouth.

Posted by: We are the Champions at May 19, 2013 10:28 AM (ZETiK)

73 What's the point ? Oh, yes, the law is irrelevant. What is relevant is what is 'the right thing to do'. The IRS will determine if your group is a non profit social organization as defined by it's own regulations.

Someone at Treasury will determine who gets bank loans and what the terms of those loans will be, and it will be called consumer finance protection. If you want the loan and are denied it could be labeled 'redlining' if you live in the right neighborhood. If you can't pay back the loan it could be called 'predatory lending' if you live in the right congressional district.

Soon, someone in government will determine if you are a suitable candidate for medical treatment, what the government will pay for that treatment, and who will provide the service and get that payment.

So, someone in government will decide what the 'right thing to do is', and there is nothing you can do about it. If you get angry about this, then YOU have 'anger issues', and the government knows how to deal with those who make trouble for government agents.

Posted by: Skandia Recluse at May 19, 2013 10:29 AM (noquw)

74 Pheifer >> Pfeiffer

Posted by: USA at May 19, 2013 10:29 AM (VIaw0)

75 60 Someone help me out here. Was the president outraged that the IRS was targeting conservative groups or was he outraged that they got caught at it?
Posted by: Seamus Muldoon loves blue skies at May 19, 2013 02:24 PM (pxDth) He was outraged because someone brought it up.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot Jr. at May 19, 2013 10:29 AM (QEI2I)

76 BONUS! WHÂ’s Pfeiffer: Susan Rice owed apology. http://tinyurl.com/bc2voa5

Posted by: YIKES! at May 19, 2013 10:29 AM (mETGQ)

77 >>I agree, but you have to prove that they were targeted because of their political beliefs. To do that, you have to investigate. Actually, they've already admitted to targeting conservative groups. They are now engaged in splitting hairs over the meaning of illegal is and isn't. We also know they targeted specific donors and even went after Jewish groups. I've got to say that I do think the Republicans in Congress are all over this controversy. We are still in the early innings of the game and there are going to be lots more hearings and investigations. The more they tie the IRS scandal to Obamacare the more people will sit up and take notice. Even LIV don't like having their ox gored.

Posted by: JackStraw at May 19, 2013 10:29 AM (g1DWB)

78 We would have never heard of the IRS scandal if Teh JEF had been told in private. Never.

Posted by: Truck Monkey at May 19, 2013 10:30 AM (jucos)

79 >>>I agree, but you have to prove that they were targeted because of their political beliefs. I was with you somewhat, until the prayer question on the surveys came up. "Tell us the content of your prayers" in relations to tax status would seem to be a fairly clear First Amendment issue to me. (Though I am not a lawyer or even a "Constitutional Scholar") I'm not religious at all, however, if the government is claiming authority to tax me differently, depending on how I do or do not pray; I have a serious problem with that.

Posted by: Damiano at May 19, 2013 10:30 AM (BzT5x)

80

On the bright side, we're now truly free, aren't we?

 

I mean, if the law is   irrelevant and all, right?

 

brb, goin' speedin' to rob a liquor store.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at May 19, 2013 10:30 AM (+z4pE)

81 Sieg Heil!

Posted by: We are the Champions at May 19, 2013 10:30 AM (VlXYw)

82 We are the Chumps is apparently OK with a dictatorship, as long as "his side" is in charge. Be careful what you wish for. Useful idiots are often the first ones rounded up and liquidated.

Posted by: rickl at May 19, 2013 10:30 AM (sdi6R)

83 You losers will be whining next week about these non scandals. Yet Obama will still be holding steady in the polls. America is with Obama, not you republifreaks.

Posted by: We are the Champions at May 19, 2013 10:30 AM (YmrPd)

84 82 rickl This is payback for the times Republicans shitted on America. Never in your wildest dreams did you envision people you once abused would united and defeat you. Its over for the Republican Party.

Posted by: We are the Champions at May 19, 2013 10:32 AM (YmrPd)

85 As I said in an earlier thread: When the Rule of Law goes out the window, all bets are off. This is how a great civilization collapses into a Third World hellhole of roving gangs and warlords.

Posted by: rickl at May 19, 2013 10:32 AM (sdi6R)

86

Troll needs a nuking or to have his comments edited.

 

I prefer the editting of his idiotic drivel but that seems to have fallen out of favor here.  But his idiocy should not be left up.

Posted by: buzzion at May 19, 2013 10:32 AM (LI48c)

87 Oh lookie. The stupid troll that on a continuous loop is here.

Posted by: YIKES! at May 19, 2013 10:32 AM (mETGQ)

88 I like a flat tax better than a sales tax, but say they do a sales tax, the pols will do cut-outs to favor certain groups, like no tax on May19 on anything purchased at the DNC store or something. 

Flat tax and be done.  No exceptions, no set asides, no special favors.  Flat on gross income.  Leave all you want to your kids, and no penalty for early withdrawl on 401K's cause guess what... you take it out... you pay the flat tax on it.  

Posted by: Yip at May 19, 2013 10:32 AM (/jHWN)

89 What difference, at this point, does it make?

Posted by: Whoever2016 at May 19, 2013 10:33 AM (6BnTn)

90 L'état, c'est moi

Posted by: Louis Obama at May 19, 2013 10:33 AM (5fSr7)

91 The past tense of "shit" is "shat".

Posted by: rickl at May 19, 2013 10:33 AM (sdi6R)

92 76 BONUS! WHÂ’s Pfeiffer: Susan Rice owed apology. http://tinyurl.com/bc2vo --- Of course. She was sent out to lie just like he was. We don't know how hard that is.

Posted by: WalrusRex at May 19, 2013 10:34 AM (VlXYw)

93 BTW- "roads" does not include turtle bridges. If hippies was turtle bridges, they can fund them themselves Ever see the story about the road on Kauai that the state government said was going to cost beaucoup & months to fix? The locals finally said fuck it & fixed it themselves within days. I think it cost them $5,000. Yankee ingenuity still exists.

Posted by: bebe's boobs destroy at May 19, 2013 10:34 AM (KW9YT)

94 Irrelevant.

Posted by: Pfeiffer at May 19, 2013 10:34 AM (Iyg03)

95 Our friendly Stalinist returns.

Posted by: zsasz at May 19, 2013 10:34 AM (MMC8r)

96 Their goal is to say they "fixed" the problem, so let's move on. That cannot be allowed, as holding people accountable is part of that process. Also, Austan Goolsbee once announced the Koch brothers taxes...he should not have had access to that informatino. Austan Goolsbee is high profile and that should be folllowed up as part of this scandal.

Posted by: sexypig at May 19, 2013 10:34 AM (dZQh7)

97 I don't understand how anyone from any party would think the IRS/administration behavior is acceptable. Seems that those who think these are "non scandals" are dolts.

Posted by: mare at May 19, 2013 10:34 AM (A98Xu)

98 I AM the law!

Posted by: Barack Dredd at May 19, 2013 10:35 AM (5fSr7)

99 I don't think I've ever seen such a look of misery and dejection on the face of my daughter as I just did a moment ago. I sat down with her on the sofa and (as calmly as I could) tried to explain to her why the Republicans want to kill the IRS. I tried to keep my voice steady, but it became increasingly difficult - the rage and feelings of helplessness were just too much. She could tell something was wrong. I found myself at such a loss for words - nothing made any sense; nothing makes sense anymore. I finally had to admit, " I just don't know - I don't know what's going on in this country anymore..." When I finished her lower lip started to tremble and her eyes began to fill with tears, "Mommy" she said, "why are the Republicans doing this to the country? Where will we get money to live if Republicans stop paying it?" Well, that was it for me: I finally fell apart. I just fell into her arms and we both began sobbing for several minutes. She had to comfort me and get me back on my feet. Sometimes I just think itÂ’s too much, but seeing the strength in my daughters voice helped me to get through.

Posted by: CheChe v.7.0 [/i] at May 19, 2013 10:35 AM (U2UQk)

100 Question 14
Based on what you have read or heard about this, do you think that the actions of the IRS were acceptable or unacceptable?

62% of Democrats said "Unacceptable"

http://tinyurl.com/atubds6

Posted by: Baldy at May 19, 2013 10:35 AM (tyDFN)

101 86 buzzion You can't handle the fact these alleged scandals have done the Great Obama no damage. It sucks being a sore loser.

Posted by: We are the Champions at May 19, 2013 10:35 AM (YmrPd)

102 "But Mr. Pfeiffer, what if Obama paid the terrorists to kill ambassador Stevens?" 

"Irrelevant."

Posted by: rdbrewer at May 19, 2013 10:35 AM (Iyg03)

103 Mad Max was a documentary. Truthfully, how many bed wetting, small penised leftists will survive the Mad Max period? Serious you guys.

Posted by: Truck Monkey at May 19, 2013 10:35 AM (jucos)

104 Just heard Pfieffer on the radio...man, if there's someone you don't want representing your case, it's a twelve-year old with Tourettes on speed.

Posted by: zsasz at May 19, 2013 10:36 AM (MMC8r)

105 Here are the polls. http://shorturl.com/make_url.php No damage to Obama. Deal with the fact, you Republicans have lost again.

Posted by: We are the Champions at May 19, 2013 10:36 AM (YmrPd)

106 Let the troll's idiocy stand, as a monument to his craven nature. Engrave his words in stone, hell, emblazoned. And file it mentally under "Comedy Channel".

Posted by: Cowboy at May 19, 2013 10:36 AM (FMrA0)

107 The White House needs to release the Joe Biden to put an end to all this scandal hoo ha.

Posted by: YIKES! at May 19, 2013 10:37 AM (mETGQ)

108 I already said my piece about Hector, unapologetic lover of tyranny, and those like him. Although I thank him for making it all so clear. As for how it ends, Damiano put it best.

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at May 19, 2013 10:37 AM (2Zu6X)

109 Heh. They're going full Alinsky on this one.

Posted by: Kosmikdebris at May 19, 2013 10:37 AM (xzdkl)

110

I had an older brother who had nearly fatal bacterial meningitis.  After that my mother dropped him on his head 3, maybe 4 times during one particularly bad week.  He had one eye that looked sideways and the other eye rolled around in a circle.  Eventually we just propped him up in a corner where he drooled and hummed old Queen songs.  I hadn't heard from him in years...

 

...until this thread.

 

 

Hey bro!

Posted by: Seamus Muldoon loves blue skies at May 19, 2013 10:38 AM (pxDth)

111 CheChe: That never gets old.

Posted by: rickl at May 19, 2013 10:38 AM (sdi6R)

112 @99   bwahahahaaa...   THANK You!

Posted by: Yip at May 19, 2013 10:38 AM (/jHWN)

113 @54 Like i said, you wear ignorance as a badge of honor.

Posted by: RWC at May 19, 2013 10:39 AM (Wl/Ht)

114 Ha,ha I won again.

Posted by: We are the chumps at May 19, 2013 10:40 AM (mETGQ)

115 Check out pompous-ass SCOAMF pic top of Drudge... hahaha.  Perfect tone!

Posted by: Yip at May 19, 2013 10:40 AM (/jHWN)

116 My guess is that when the WH says "the law is irrelevant" the object is not you and me.

Posted by: USA at May 19, 2013 10:40 AM (VIaw0)

117 99 CheChe: It's sort of like an HQ text version of a Hitler parody.

Posted by: rickl at May 19, 2013 10:40 AM (sdi6R)

118 107 Let the troll's idiocy stand, as a monument to his craven nature. Engrave his words in stone, hell, emblazoned. And file it mentally under "Comedy Channel".

Posted by: Cowboy at May 19, 2013 02:36 PM (FMrA0)

 

Its more fun to watch them steam in impotent rage as their comments are removed or editted.

Posted by: buzzion at May 19, 2013 10:41 AM (LI48c)

119 Ha-ha! Stupid Jews! Der Fuhrer is beloved! Deutschland uber alles!

Posted by: Troll Outside the Wire at Auschwitz at May 19, 2013 10:41 AM (MMC8r)

120 So when the dummycraps get wiped out in '14 and we get President Palin in '16 (should we all make it to '16), the left will be fine with us using government agencies against them? Cool.

Posted by: Truck Monkey at May 19, 2013 10:42 AM (jucos)

121 A little test, read these two statements.

“We must make sure that the talking points reflect all agency equities, including those of the State Department, and we don’t want to undermine the FBI investigation. We thus will work through the talking points tomorrow morning at the Deputies Committee meeting.”

“We need to resolve this in a way that respects all of the relevant equities,
 particularly the investigation.
There is a ton of wrong information getting out into the public domain from
Congress and people who are not particularly informed. Insofar as we have
firmed up assessments that donÂ’t compromise intel or the investigation,
we need to have the capability to correct the record, as there are
significant policy and messaging ramifications that would flow from a
hardened mis-impression”

Now tell me how the difference between them vindicate The White House, The CIA, Clinton or Powers? Especially that when they were crafting these talking points only functional retards still believed that what happened was a video protest gone bad.  Because that's what Dan Pfeiffer was also trying to sell us today.


Posted by: lowandslow at May 19, 2013 10:42 AM (Fz2C7)

122 79 >>>I agree, but you have to prove that they were targeted because of their political beliefs.

I was with you somewhat, until the prayer question on the surveys came up. "Tell us the content of your prayers" in relations to tax status would seem to be a fairly clear First Amendment issue to me. (Though I am not a lawyer or even a "Constitutional Scholar")

Posted by: Damiano at May 19, 2013 02:30 PM (BzT5x)

-----------------

Agreed.  But, what was the result?  None of the applications in question have been denied - they have only been delayed.  So, there's no case to be made that an application was denied because of the applicant's beliefs. 

That was the original intent here - only to delay and force the Tea Party organizations to hire lawyers which would deplete their finances through legal fees.  In an election year. 

I think you have to prove (somehow) that there was an organized conspiracy to suppress free speech - then you have criminality. 

Posted by: Not an Artist at May 19, 2013 10:42 AM (uRumV)

123 A lone, mentally ill gunman goes on a rampage: BAN ALL GUNS! Change the constitution! change the laws! Never again! An entire subsection of a government department engages in codified targeting of one political party for harassment, intrusion, and denial of tax-exempt status that may have affected the election: Low level staffers acted in isolation and anyway, it's not illegal, just frowned upon.

Posted by: elizabethe loves her some karaoke at May 19, 2013 10:42 AM (qPCAa)

124

Pfeiffer's little comment needs to be  chiseled in stone somewhere in DC.

 

Maybe on the front of the SCOTUS building.

 

Seriously you guys, why   isn't anyone in a position to do anything about this not already arresting IRS agents?

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at May 19, 2013 10:42 AM (+z4pE)

125 7.5% unemployment! Obama wins again.

Posted by: We are the chumps at May 19, 2013 10:43 AM (mETGQ)

126 121 Truck Monkey Look at the polls, the American people hate the Republican Party. You are stuck in the past, while Democrats represent the America of today. Dream on if you think you will win in 2016.

Posted by: We are the Champions at May 19, 2013 10:44 AM (YmrPd)

127 From WaPo “WeÂ’re not political,Â’Â’ said one determinations staffer in khakis as he left work late Tuesday afternoon. “We people on the local level are doing what we are supposed to do. . . . ThatÂ’s why there are so many people here who are flustered. Everything comes from the top. We donÂ’t have any authority to make those decisions without someone signing off on them. There has to be a directive.” The staff member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of losing his job, said that the determinations unit is competent and without bias, that it grouped together conservative applications “for consistencyÂ’s sake” — so one application did not sail through while a similar one was held up in review. ____________ http://tinyurl.com/c8h68ft

Posted by: Ragamuffin at May 19, 2013 10:44 AM (fzFF6)

128

Posted by: CheChe v.7.0 at May 19, 2013 02:35 PM (U2UQk)

 

 

Gaia Bless you and little Che Che.

Posted by: Elle Light at May 19, 2013 10:45 AM (4C0FN)

129 16.8 trillion in debt! Obama wins again.

Posted by: We are the chumps at May 19, 2013 10:45 AM (mETGQ)

130 126 We are the chumps It was at 10.8% 2 years ago, now we are at 7.5%. When Obama leaves office in 2017, UE will be at 5%. The economy is roaring and Republicans are in denial to this fact.

Posted by: We are the Champions at May 19, 2013 10:45 AM (YmrPd)

131 Posted by: Troll Outside the Wire at Auschwitz at May 19, 2013 02:41 PM (MMC8r) Now that there is funny. Sick, but funny.

Posted by: rickl at May 19, 2013 10:45 AM (sdi6R)

132 He had one eye that looked sideways and the other eye rolled around in a circle.

One eye on the money, one eye on the streets, dog.

Posted by: Jin & Guice at May 19, 2013 10:45 AM (qjyQp)

133 Yeah I've been reading that poll shit all day. Basically the argument is, since people are either so fucking stupid, blinded by partisanship or simply entrenched in Obama worship that these issues are all a waste of time.

Posted by: lowandslow at May 19, 2013 10:46 AM (Fz2C7)

134 More death in Afghanistan under Obama. Obama wins again.

Posted by: We are the chumps at May 19, 2013 10:46 AM (mETGQ)

135

BREAKING: Nationwide TEA PARTY PROTESTS Set for Tuesday at IRS Offices (Pass It On!)


http://tinyurl.com/asrkegc

Posted by: Tami[/i][/b][/u][/s] at May 19, 2013 10:46 AM (X6akg)

136 We support Obama because he cares about us

*rofl*  You seriously believe Obama gives a shit about anything but where his next 8-ball is coming from?

Posted by: HeatherRadish™, Crankypants Extraordinaire at May 19, 2013 10:47 AM (hO8IJ)

137 Obama is beloved. He would do most anything for me. Ha Ha. Obama wins again.

Posted by: Ambassador Stevens at May 19, 2013 10:47 AM (jucos)

138 Labor participation rate: In Freefall. http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS11300000

Posted by: zsasz at May 19, 2013 10:48 AM (MMC8r)

139 Know what annoys the shit outta trolls?



Non-response.

Posted by: Tami[/i][/b][/u][/s] at May 19, 2013 10:48 AM (X6akg)

140 >>I think you have to prove (somehow) that there was an organized conspiracy to suppress free speech - then you have criminality. Nope. The Hatch Act specifically prohibits federal employees from engaging in the type of activity the IRS was engaged in. The only bar is to prove they were doing this and you have criminal activity.

Posted by: JackStraw at May 19, 2013 10:48 AM (g1DWB)

141 We are the chumps It was at 10.8% 2 years ago, now we are at 7.5%. When Obama leaves office in 2017, UE will be at 5%. The economy is roaring and Republicans are in denial to this fact. Posted by: We are the Champions at May 19, 2013 02:45 PM (YmrPd) If the labor force was same today as it was when took off in 2009 it would be over 11%. Obama wins again.

Posted by: We are the chumps at May 19, 2013 10:48 AM (mETGQ)

142 Be interesting to see the ethnic breakdown of the 62% of Dems who thought the IRS did wrong. At least Hector has made it clear that he's in the 38, *and* that he sees Obama as his weapon against "racists".

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at May 19, 2013 10:49 AM (2Zu6X)

143 The top ten states with welfare recipients as a percentage of total population (2011 stats) DC 3.94 CALIFORNIA 3.91 NEW MEXICO 2.52 TENNESSEE 2.42 WASHINGTON 2.18 OREGON 2.08 MAINE 1.98 HAWAII 1.96 OHIO 1.95 MICHIGAN Badge of Ignorance. Wear it cumguzzler.

Posted by: RWC at May 19, 2013 10:49 AM (Wl/Ht)

144 Comments thread? IRRELEVANT!

Posted by: The Great Satan's Ghost at May 19, 2013 10:49 AM (xMU3a)

145 7.5% unemployment! Obama wins again. Except its not 7.5%. They massaged the numbers so hard to get that figure that al gore's 2nd chakra released. I'd bet the true number is north of 20%. Well, not in Texas or North Dakota. Their economies are kicking ass.

Posted by: bebe's boobs destroy at May 19, 2013 10:50 AM (KW9YT)

146 More people on foods stamps than ever. Obama wins again.

Posted by: We are the chumps at May 19, 2013 10:50 AM (mETGQ)

147 Obama cares so much, insulting his prophet (pbuh) gets you free room and board!

Posted by: Amateur YouTube Movie Directors at May 19, 2013 10:50 AM (6BnTn)

148 The photo of Barky on Drudge is too good too miss.

Posted by: WalrusRex at May 19, 2013 10:50 AM (VlXYw)

149 136 Tami Yes a bunch of old overweight losers. I hope the Tea party comes out. It will remind Americans what a bunch of retrogrades your movement is. The Tea Party is a bunch of old fat White people mad at a Strong Blackman who smacks them around with his pimp hand.

Posted by: We are the Champions at May 19, 2013 10:50 AM (YmrPd)

150

More death in Afghanistan under Obama.
Obama wins again.

Posted by: We are the chumps at May 19, 2013 02:46 PM (mETGQ)

 

More deaths, maybe, but fewer grim milestones. Amirite?

 

Also, he's addressed the homelessness problem. He must have, since I don't see any articles on it anymore.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at May 19, 2013 10:50 AM (IDSI7)

151 I shouldn't feed the troll... Posted by: We are the Champions at May 19, 2013 02:27 PM (YmrPd) He cares about "us"? Please explain. Let's set aside the "us" portion, since with you, it's clearly an Us vs. Them argument on multiple levels. Enlighten me on how Obama cares about you? - Is it the record unemployment rates for 5 years? Since you brought race into it, unemployment among minorities is significantly higher and climbed faster under Obama. - Is it the trillion dollar stimulus that funded nothing but leftist corporate donors? - Is it Obamacare, which has already raised health insurance premiums on everyone by more than 18% per year and is expected to hike premiums from 50%- 100% more at the end of this year? - For the ladies in the house, perhaps you are referring to the Lilly Ledbetter act, which made the same stuff illegal that was already illegal under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and accomplished nothing? - Perhaps you are referring to him slamming the White House door in the face of school children and other average Americans because of the Sequester that he signed while he continues to throw concerts for himself and roll out the red carpet for celebrities? - Who has had more vacations and played more basketball and golf on the government dime in the past 5 years? You or Obama? You may feel that Obama talks pretty but, in fact, he has accomplished nothing that benefits anyone. Since you called me a racist- I personally have employed more people of all races in the past 5 years than Obama has in his life. People who have worked for me have raised families, bought homes, and advanced in their careers... with their own money that they earned. I've helped them to pay for theirs and their families healthcare and education and seen tangible results. Tell me, where are Obama's results?

Posted by: Damiano at May 19, 2013 10:50 AM (BzT5x)

152 Champion has to be a sock. No one can be that thick on purpose. Economy is roaring..... fuckin' cracked me up. Whoever is doing it please step forward and take a bow.

Posted by: Truck Monkey at May 19, 2013 10:50 AM (jucos)

153 "The Law is Irrelevant." Is it too early to question what they teach at Harvard Law?

Posted by: USA at May 19, 2013 10:51 AM (VIaw0)

154 I thought for sure Michigan would be closer to the number one spot for welfare %-age.

Posted by: EC at May 19, 2013 10:51 AM (doBIb)

155 BREAKING: Nationwide TEA PARTY PROTESTS Set for Tuesday at IRS Offices (Pass It On!)

Can we have a second one in the evening so the taxpayers who work day shift can go?

Posted by: HeatherRadish™, Crankypants Extraordinaire at May 19, 2013 10:51 AM (hO8IJ)

156 Posted by: Tami at May 19, 2013 02:48 PM (X6akg) Agreed. No more from moi.

Posted by: RWC at May 19, 2013 10:51 AM (Wl/Ht)

157 "Young man, you have been found guilty of breaking and entering. Before I pass sentence, do you have anything to say?"

"Yes, your honor. The fact that I was found guilty is really not important. The law is irrelevant. The activity was outrageous and inexcusable, and it was stopped and it needs to be fixed so we ensure it never happens again."

"Agreed --  a year in the state penitentiary"

===========

Hey, maybe if people went to jail for breaking the law, the Dems wouldn't need to keep telling us that we need to get past the crime and figure out how the laws need to be changed. I'll bet a whole bunch of guys involved in Watergate could tell us that.

Posted by: mallfly at May 19, 2013 10:51 AM (bJm7W)

158 146 bebe's boobs destroy The polls show most Americans support Obama. That is because the economy is roaring and prosperity is returning to America.

Posted by: We are the Champions at May 19, 2013 10:51 AM (YmrPd)

159 Posted by: RWC at May 19, 2013 02:49 PM (Wl/Ht)

Erase Memphis, and Tennessee is off that list.

Posted by: Country Singer at May 19, 2013 10:52 AM (cnmE6)

160 More people hold more than one un-benefited part time jobs. Obama wins again.

Posted by: We are the chumps at May 19, 2013 10:52 AM (mETGQ)

161 Can we have a second one in the evening so the taxpayers who work day shift can go?

Posted by: HeatherRadish™, Crankypants Extraordinaire at May 19, 2013 02:51 PM (hO8IJ)



LOL!  Good point!

Posted by: Tami[/i][/b][/u][/s] at May 19, 2013 10:52 AM (X6akg)

162

a Strong Blackman who smacks them around with his pimp hand.

 

Kinda like Chris Brown, or Ike Turner, then?

 

Btw, thanks for the peculiar orthography. Very 18th century.

Posted by: Jay Guevara at May 19, 2013 10:52 AM (IDSI7)

163

I'm feeling very negative today.   Basically because   I knew the media would start trying to spin this  sh*t  in the president's favor.   They are like crack addicts.   1. I say that this controversy is over by July. As the media spins this for the administration, soon not too many people will care.  2. Somehow Obama will come   out smelling like a rose, and Republicans will be branded  'meanies' like they always are. 3. Republicans will wimp out because of bad press. Therefore, no one  except a few low-level   employees and maybe  one   'major'  IRS  official will get the boot.  4.   The IRS will continue to screw people, especially conservatives.   5. I will continue to read Orwell while having to listen to even   so called 'conservatives'  brag about how they've learned   to love big, intrusive   government. 

Posted by: Mo the Negative at May 19, 2013 10:52 AM (2f1Rs)

164 For those of you with ESPNU: 2013 NCAA Div I Lacrosse Tournament Quarterfinals are on today: On right now- Duke vs Notre Dame Two top ranked teams so should be an excellent game. Check it out.

Posted by: Staff at May 19, 2013 10:52 AM (ZR4Xh)

165 Nope. The Hatch Act specifically prohibits federal employees from engaging in the type of activity the IRS was engaged in. The only bar is to prove they were doing this and you have criminal activity.

Posted by: JackStraw at May 19, 2013 02:48 PM (g1DWB)

----------------


Great.  I'm with ya 1000%.  But, how's that gonna get done?  See my post above (#39).  Special Prosecutor.

Posted by: Not an Artist at May 19, 2013 10:53 AM (uRumV)

166 So it wouldn't matter if the iRS was targeting black people?

Posted by: Mr Pink at May 19, 2013 10:53 AM (xhCay)

167 Black unemployment especially among the young has gotten worse under Obama. Obama wins again.

Posted by: We are the chumps at May 19, 2013 10:53 AM (mETGQ)

168 Labor participation rate: In Freefall. http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS11300000 (That means LESS people are working now, and it's dropping.)

Posted by: zsasz at May 19, 2013 10:54 AM (MMC8r)

169 "Prosperity is returning to America"? Troll must live in the DC area.

Posted by: rickl at May 19, 2013 10:54 AM (sdi6R)

170 152 Damiano Obama's results? Sure I can point them out. We were losing 800,000 jobs a month when Obama came in. Now we are adding 180,000 a month. That is better job growth than when Bush was President and the average was 100,000 a month. Corporate profits are at an all time high. The Auto Industry is booming The Housing Market is on fire. Wall Street is at unprecedented heights. America is economically back on track and it bothers you Obama did it!

Posted by: We are the Champions at May 19, 2013 10:54 AM (YmrPd)

171 I don't understand why the progressives are trying so hard to stay out of jail.
They should do their time, write their books while doing so, get out, make millions more on their speaking tours and then go to work at a elite university, with tenure and millions of tax free dollars for retirement, so they can continue their parasitic life of never having had a Job where real Work is performed. It's Utopia!

Posted by: Greg at May 19, 2013 10:54 AM (FmyWU)

172 Just got here. What is that funky smell? Smells like a euro-weenie in need of a bath. Or ban-hammer.

Posted by: Tobacco Road at May 19, 2013 10:54 AM (4Mv1T)

173 Perhaps the administration needs oral counseling on why the law is not irrelevant?

Posted by: USA at May 19, 2013 10:55 AM (VIaw0)

174 This goes far beyond the IRS. For example, when True The Vote filed for 501c, they attracted attention from the following additional entities: the FBI, BATF, OHSA, the Democrat Party's lawyers, ACORN-affiliated NGO's lawyers, and the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality. The filing also provoked activity at the IRS outside of issues related to the filing such as: personal financial audits of the players invovled, as well as audits of their businesses. Federal agencies in concert with state agencies and non-governmental agencies acted in unison in response to one 501c filing. How was that Wall of Doom triggered? Are we to believe it was all some strange coincidence, especially when the story of True The Vote does NOT appear to be unique? We're looking at a criminal conspiracy here folks, and one that is not confined to the IRS, or even to federal government agencies! Remember these are guys who famously have trouble "connecting the dots", right? Somebody was CONNECTING THE DOTS. Then SICKING THE DOGS.

Posted by: Cowboy at May 19, 2013 10:55 AM (FMrA0)

175

It's not we didn't suspect   something like this was happening.

 

Hell, David Gregory broke the law  on national TV and got away with  it.

 

We are now a third-world banana republic, but with a slightly  higher standard  of living,  for now at least.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at May 19, 2013 10:55 AM (+z4pE)

176 Bammy! Bammy How I love ya how I love ya my dear old Bammy. I'd walk a million miles for one of your smiles Bammmmmmmy!

Posted by: We are the Champions at May 19, 2013 10:55 AM (VlXYw)

177 Heh. They're going full Alinsky on this one. Alinsky works if you're not "the man". If you're "the man", you have to go the full Machiavelli. I don't think they've read Machiavelli, they only know the low-rent Alinsky.

Posted by: AmishDude at May 19, 2013 10:56 AM (xSegX)

178 164 Mo the Negative You are the only realistic one on this blog and I applaud you. These stories will do Obama no damage. He won another round against the Republicans. Hint: it does not help having that crazed freakazoid, Bachmann being your main spokesperson on the IRS scandal.

Posted by: We are the Champions at May 19, 2013 10:56 AM (YmrPd)

179

1  million  public  school  children  are  homeless  in  America. A  57%  increase  since  2007. 

Obama  wins  again! ! !

Posted by: Ernie McCracken at May 19, 2013 10:56 AM (ZETiK)

180 Posted by: Truck Monkey at May 19, 2013 02:50 PM (jucos)

Not necessarily.  I present Exhibit A, an actual response to a question in a Poli Sci class that I am taking.  The class is POL 3341Executive Branch...an upper division course.  Here is the question, followed by the student response:

Question 3.-- Is the "Tea Party" a valid addition to our Congressional system or is it muddying the water on the past system?  Consider the Origin, Objectives, impact on the system etc.
"3) The new Tea Party has not changed from then to now.  When it came to racism back in the day the only difference is that then they were blatant with it and now they try to cover it up to make people believe that society's attitudes have changed.  People may think that the turmoil and financial difficulties that are facing our country today stem from Obama becoming president.  The United States issues existed and were primarily out of control within the Bush administration, but society wants to make it seem like it is the black man's fault.  All Obama did was inherit the problems and try to fix what was already broken. "

(Hey fellow student, if you don't want to be ridiculed, don't post your answers publicly when they should have been emailed to the professor.)

Posted by: Country Singer at May 19, 2013 10:57 AM (cnmE6)

181 @Posted by: bebe's boobs destroy at May 19, 2013 02:34 PM (KW9YT) Missed that one, but there was a similar story in Detroit (of all places). Folks got tired of areas looking like crap and vacant homes becoming meth labs, so they dragged out lawnmowers and scrap lumber from their garages, boarded up the buildings, planted gardens and mowed lawns, and started a neighborhood patrol. Total investment: spare time and a sense of personal responsibility. Even in Detroit, people can take care of themselves and their communities far better and far cheaper than any government.

Posted by: Damiano at May 19, 2013 10:57 AM (BzT5x)

182 So it wouldn't matter if the iRS was targeting black people?

It doesn't seem to matter that they targeted Jewish people.

Y'all know the analogy I wanna make.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™, Crankypants Extraordinaire at May 19, 2013 10:57 AM (hO8IJ)

183 Troll: "We were losing 800,000 jobs a month when Obama came in. Now we are adding 180,000 a month" Labor participation rate: In Freefall. http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS11300000 (That means LESS people are working now, and it's dropping.) Source: St. Obama's Government

Posted by: zsasz at May 19, 2013 10:58 AM (MMC8r)

184 #152 is absolutely right and I love it. Obama cares about nobody and you're a fool if you think he does. Obama, unlike even Clinton, hates, hates, hates his constituents. He likes his sycophantic minions, but only insofar as they are useful.

Posted by: AmishDude at May 19, 2013 10:58 AM (xSegX)

185 "I canÂ’t speak to the law here. The law is irrelevant. The activity was outrageous and inexcusable, and it was stopped and it needs to be fixed so we ensure it never happens again." Somehow, I just can't see Obama using that same approach to, say, gun violence.

Posted by: Socratease at May 19, 2013 10:58 AM (AgrAs)

186 Labor participation rate: In Freefall. http://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS11300000 (That means LESS people are working now, and it's dropping.) Source: St. Obama's Government Posted by: zsasz at May 19, 2013 02:58 PM (MMC8r) That means Obama wins again!

Posted by: We are the chumps at May 19, 2013 10:59 AM (mETGQ)

187 >>Great. I'm with ya 1000%. But, how's that gonna get done? See my post above (#39). Special Prosecutor. Patience grasshopper. “Clearly, this investigation is going to be ramped up,” said Camp. “I'm not exactly sure of the directions we're going to go, but we're going to ramp this up because we did not get the information we needed to get in today's hearing, and we're going to have to go to the next level.” http://tinyurl.com/a55kqsy

Posted by: JackStraw at May 19, 2013 10:59 AM (g1DWB)

188 I find it interesting that there is a troll who appears only when one of these scandals pops up as the subject of a thread.

Most trolls show up on any old thread and insult.  This one seems subject specific.

I therefore conclude that he is watching for any hot button scandals. And why would he do that?

Because the hot button scandals spell danger to the administration.

Note also how many of his replies are designed to make us doubt polls, doubt our fello conservatives,  doubt GOP office holders.

It's a coordinated plan,  if you ask me.  And it also tells me that they want everyone to shut up.


Posted by: Miss Marple at May 19, 2013 11:00 AM (GoIUi)

189 "he misses the most obvious of crimes related to the IRS scandal -- the public release of confidential information, something punishable by up to a year's jail time." You missed the part of the law where, if the government says: "Oops!" it's not illegal.

Posted by: Socratease at May 19, 2013 11:00 AM (AgrAs)

190 I am done playing with you losers for now. There is only so much I can deal with smelling the stench of defeat. I am a Democrat and on the winning team. If Republicans were not such assholes, I would feel sorry for a political party whose members are living a lie. Obama won again!

Posted by: We are the Champions at May 19, 2013 11:00 AM (YmrPd)

191

An  all-time  record  48  million  Americans  are  now  on  food  stamps.   Back  in  2009,  that  number  was  32  million.

Obama  wins  again!

Posted by: Ernie McCracken at May 19, 2013 11:00 AM (ZETiK)

192 "Prosperity is returning to America"? Troll must live in the DC area.

...or works in product testing at the Baby Jesus Buttplug factory in San Fran.

Posted by: Jin & Guice at May 19, 2013 11:01 AM (qjyQp)

193 Makes 2 out of 22 basket ball throws. Obama wins again!

Posted by: We are the chumps at May 19, 2013 11:01 AM (mETGQ)

194 I am done playing with you losers for now. Doesn't want to address the BLS Chart. Run away, troll.

Posted by: zsasz at May 19, 2013 11:01 AM (MMC8r)

195

179  People don't want accountability. They just want their welfare.   I take it you are one of Obama's voters?   Is it nice   knowing that everything   your side said about Bush is also true about Obama?

Posted by: Mo the Negative at May 19, 2013 11:02 AM (2f1Rs)

196 We were losing 800,000 jobs a month when Obama came in. I believe that was the Pelosi-Reid economy. Tell me what was happening between 2003 and 2006.

Posted by: AmishDude at May 19, 2013 11:02 AM (xSegX)

197 No one is going to jail over this or any other Obama Administration scandal. I saw a lot of wind and noise coming from Republicans during the IRS hearing, but that went through the MSM filter as 'Republicans Exploit Scandals (Where Nothing Illegal Happened Okay And Even If It Did Low-level Nobodies Did It) For Political Gain'. IRS targeting sent a message: oppose us and we'll come after you, and what's more, we'll get away with it. What Obama's people don't get is that this country is held together by commonly held faith in the rule of law. That's the glue. Take that faith away and things fall apart with a quickness. Meanwhile, the Republican Establishment worries that publicizing these scandals might make them look bad. Follow the logic on that one. I can't.

Posted by: troyriser at May 19, 2013 11:03 AM (ptcFO)

198 At this point I could twist the heads off toddlers in the Rose Garden on live TV and you still couldn't touch me. Ha Ha Ha..... I win!

Posted by: Preznit Urkel X at May 19, 2013 11:03 AM (jucos)

199 Suck your dick? Mister, mister- suck your dick? Hey, mister. Suck your dick? .....man, I wish Axelrod paid more.

Posted by: We Are The Champions at May 19, 2013 11:04 AM (ZR4Xh)

200 The utmost criterion in this guy's mind seems to be whether or not he can see a way that Obama wins again. Anything goes, so long as Obama wins. Law itself is a casualty, having been rendered irrelevant? Well, if Obama wins, then let's go. It's sickening. His mind of that of a TWANLOC, or Those Who Are No Longer Our Countrymen.

Posted by: Cowboy at May 19, 2013 11:04 AM (FMrA0)

201 If you don't report it people will not know or care If you do not investigate it, there is no crime See!!!

Posted by: Thunderb at May 19, 2013 11:04 AM (nH8jP)

202 Everybody bookmark that BLS page. Troll's askeered of it.

Posted by: zsasz at May 19, 2013 11:05 AM (MMC8r)

203 The economy is roaring and Republicans are in denial to this fact.

Posted by: We are the Champions at May 19, 2013 02:45 PM (YmrPd)




Hahahahaha....dude, lay off the LSD, because you are clearly hallucinating

Posted by: TheQuietMan at May 19, 2013 11:05 AM (mNAXD)

204

It  appears  inconvenient  facts  are  the  best  form  of  troll  repellant. 

Posted by: Ernie McCracken at May 19, 2013 11:05 AM (ZETiK)

205 "Vote for revenge", said Obama, when he was down at the polls. That's what Hector voted for.

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at May 19, 2013 11:05 AM (2Zu6X)

206 I am done playing with you losers for now. Doesn't want to address the BLS Chart. Run away, troll. Posted by: zsasz at May 19, 2013 03:01 PM (MMC8r) Doesn't want to address anything except repeat the same stupid shit over and over. btw Obama won again!

Posted by: We are the chumps at May 19, 2013 11:05 AM (mETGQ)

207 The Housing Market is on fire. Disconnect between Washington DC and Main Street. I don't check my homes value on Zillow very often but another one of those bizarre headlines about how great housing is appeared a couple days ago. So I looked. Down 25 grand in one month. I remember when it took a decade to gain that kind of equity in a home. Wiped out in one month.

Posted by: Name Withheld Upon Request [/i] at May 19, 2013 11:05 AM (U2UQk)

208

I can't help  but believe that this   is going to bite both Pfieffer and TFG in the ass big  time.

 

Who in their right mind is going to hear Pfieffer's comment and say to themselves,  "You know, he's right about that. The law  really   is irrelevant."

 

Only a drooling troll would believe such a thing.

 

 

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at May 19, 2013 11:06 AM (+z4pE)

209 The economy is roaring so well that people don't even need to work anymore.

Posted by: Truck Monkey at May 19, 2013 11:07 AM (jucos)

210 The economy is roaring so well that people don't even need to work anymore. Posted by: Truck Monkey at May 19, 2013 03:07 PM (jucos) In my case it was called a lay off but that's because won again.

Posted by: We are the chumps at May 19, 2013 11:09 AM (mETGQ)

211 I do check home prices on Zillow all the time at many different places in the country. One day when you're bored, go check out home prices in the Washington, DC area. Then head 40 miles north and check out what's going on in Baltimore, the place Obama went last week to highlight America's industrial revival. It's shocking.

Posted by: Cowboy at May 19, 2013 11:09 AM (FMrA0)

212 What Obama's people don't get is that this country is held together by commonly held faith in the rule of law. That's the glue. Take that faith away and things fall apart with a quickness.

Oh, I think they know.  I vacillate between "and they don't care" and "and they're counting on that."


Posted by: HeatherRadish™, Crankypants Extraordinaire at May 19, 2013 11:09 AM (hO8IJ)

213 Doug Ross has "timeline" chart up on IRS scandal.... wow

http://bit.ly/14kVzkJ


Posted by: Yip at May 19, 2013 11:10 AM (/jHWN)

214 Maybe those of you who are able to attend the protests on Tuesday can take Big Heads of those of us who aren't.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™, Crankypants Extraordinaire at May 19, 2013 11:10 AM (hO8IJ)

215

Liberal hippies have become the establishment that they protested and detested so much.  They are worse than   Nixon.   But you know, we are the winners!

Posted by: Mo at May 19, 2013 11:10 AM (2f1Rs)

216 Do me a favor guys. Go to CNN, washington post, daily Kos, and read the comments. Your fellow citizens WANT you to be oppressed. They want the government to tyranize you for your political beliefs.

Posted by: Mr Pink at May 19, 2013 11:10 AM (xhCay)

217 Good tweet:



Thursday: "It's the law", so suck it. 


Sunday: "The law is irrelevant." Derp


Posted by: Tami[/i][/b][/u][/s] at May 19, 2013 11:10 AM (X6akg)

218 Posted by: Miss Marple at May 19, 2013 03:00 PM (GoIUi) Here's the way this will go: The usual Republicans accuse, Democrats respond dance will happen in Washington. As Democrats change to a "poor us" talking point, it will force the media to actually discuss why the Democrats are so embattled. Yes, it will be screened, sanitized and glossed over but it will be there. This will slowly chip away at Obama's teflon coating. Washington, being what it is, will not stop talking about the various scandals. But the only polls in his favor are his personal approval polls. Polling on his policies, polling on his administration, polling on anything else is disastrous. As long as he plays "poor, little Barack" he'll survive.

Posted by: AmishDude at May 19, 2013 11:12 AM (xSegX)

219 Silly, misguided person. Obama is the executive, so even if they did break the law, he controls the prosecutors. This wouldn't have mattered 200 years ago when anyone could bring an issue to a grand jury, but that is no longer the case. Short of impeachment and removal, there is nothing that we can do legally.

Posted by: DocMerlin at May 19, 2013 11:13 AM (8MymY)

220 President Derp

Posted by: Thunderb at May 19, 2013 11:13 AM (nH8jP)

221

If  Bill  Gates  gave  every  single  penny  of  his  fortune  to  the  U.S.  government,  it  would  only  cover  the  U.S.  budget  deficit  for  about fifteen days.

 

Obama wins!!!

Posted by: Ernie McCracken at May 19, 2013 11:14 AM (ZETiK)

222

Oh, I think they know. I vacillate between "and they don't care" and "and they're counting on that."

 

I'm getting the "they're counting on that"  vibe myself. They want chaos, and this  statement is proof of that. They're goading us with stoopid, hoping that somebody on our side does something dumb.

 

I really hope the IRS office protests have a  good turnout. I wish there was an office here,  since I have nothing planned that day.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at May 19, 2013 11:15 AM (+z4pE)

223 It is a violation of the fucking Hatch Act to do what they did. That has criminal sanctions beyond administrative (termination) punishment.

Posted by: Holes at May 19, 2013 11:15 AM (HCwvj)

224 They are worse than Nixon. After seeing what happened to Clinton and considering the state of the Democrat party in 1973, I'm convinced Nixon not only would have survived impeachment, I think that if he hadn't resigned and it all had come out, a majority would still have supported him over McGovern. We have a real need to see our presidents as noble, selfless, elevated people. Europeans are worse about it, but somehow we would like to think that we have wise, benevolent people ruling over us and are willing to delude ourselves that the alternative would be worse. Well, it the case of McGovern, it would have been far worse, but there is desire to admire in the human psyche.

Posted by: AmishDude at May 19, 2013 11:16 AM (xSegX)

225 >>>Only a drooling troll would believe such a thing. Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at May 19, 2013 03:06 PM (+z4pE) True. Unfortunately, I agree with the troll on one thing. The majority of the American public won't even know what these asshats said. The media won't report it and they're more interested in Kim Kardashian's swollen feet. So long as Obama and his minions can maintain the illusion (as demonstrated by the troll's trove of false information) and keep the free shit rolling, no one will care. Even for those who do hear about all this, most will view it similar to the way most view insurance fraud- a "victimless crime" where "the man" paid his comeuppance for once. They will never understand that the "victimless crime" is paid for by skyrocketing premiums out of their pockets... or in this case, skyrocketing taxes, greater deficits, and eventual default and cessation of essential services that the government is actually responsible for. Detroit may not have a police department anymore, but they sure as hell manage to keep funding those government pensions.

Posted by: Damiano at May 19, 2013 11:16 AM (BzT5x)

226 Mr Pink, I think it's a narrow selection of Democrats who want this. The vocal ones are the activists like Hector here. The PUMA Dems do exist. They don't necessarily want tyranny, but at the same time they have (so far) preferred it to the alternative, which is the loss of their rice bowl.

Posted by: boulder toilet hobo at May 19, 2013 11:16 AM (2Zu6X)

227 Surely, but surely, there's a big, ginormous pile of fucked-in-the-ass-prison-style karma floating out in space somewhere just waiting for the right moment to strike these despicable fucks, isn't there? surely...

Posted by: fastfreefall at May 19, 2013 11:17 AM (S/Joz)

228 I don't understand why lefties think the government oppressing speech, etc., is a "win" for their side? Really? You win? We all lose dumb asses.

Posted by: mare at May 19, 2013 11:18 AM (A98Xu)

229 217 Do me a favor guys. Go to CNN, washington post, daily Kos, and read the comments. Your fellow citizens WANT you to be oppressed. They want the government to tyranize you for your political beliefs. Posted by: Mr Pink at May 19, 2013 03:10 PM (xhCay) We're Unpeople, as alexthechick aptly put it. We all know where this will lead, if it is not stopped.

Posted by: rickl at May 19, 2013 11:18 AM (sdi6R)

230 At this point I want Obama in office the rest of his term.  However, this is the time to push for a MAJOR parring of the federal government; abolish EPA, Education, drastic reform of food-stamp/SS for disability, sunset provision for all federal regulations of 15 years and a flat tax.....  you know... for starters..

Posted by: Yip at May 19, 2013 11:18 AM (/jHWN)

231 Then head 40 miles north and check out what's going on in Baltimore, the place Obama went last week to highlight America's industrial revival. It's shocking. I picked a house in Baltimore at random. It looks as if it has lost 33% of its value since Obama was elected. One third. Amazing. Sad, too.

Posted by: Name Withheld Upon Request [/i] at May 19, 2013 11:19 AM (U2UQk)

232 Another excellent timeline on IRS..at Lady Liberty !!

http://bit.ly/18a8yHO

for the children you guys..

Posted by: Yip at May 19, 2013 11:20 AM (/jHWN)

233 26 Fascinating Mug Shots Of Criminals In The 1870s


Weird how they did mugshots back then....



http://tinyurl.com/a83tyko

Posted by: Tami[/i][/b][/u][/s] at May 19, 2013 11:21 AM (X6akg)

234 re: We Are the Champions

I'm going with sock rather than troll here... Nobody's that ignorant except on purpose.

Posted by: Teh One and Future King at May 19, 2013 11:22 AM (/lWM8)

235 I don't understand why lefties think the government oppressing speech, etc., is a "win" for their side? Really? They're animated, united, and motivated by Hate. For Us. Not jihadis or communists, but Us, their fellow citizens. They're convinced they've been brutally abused, endlessly, by Us. All those screams of Bush's persecution still ring in their ears-- they can't show a single damn thing, but they're convinced they're the victims, because they live off victimology. The troll rants about how they were sooooo persecuted, but where are the victims? Where are the prosecutions? Where are the articles of impeachment? Only in their frantic minds. So they celebrate the jackboots, because, hey, those are THEIR jackboots, those are THEIR jackboots now. To the Left, politics is religion, and thye can do anything they want in Holy War.

Posted by: zsasz at May 19, 2013 11:23 AM (MMC8r)

236 For the LIV its not about country, its only about beating the other side ...at all cost. Its like a fucking baseball game to them, and sadly for many of those in power as well left and right alike

Posted by: ET at May 19, 2013 11:24 AM (YpjaN)

237 Looks like all those guys in the 1870's dressed up for their mug shots, and were concerned over their poses. It was a very big deal getting your picture made back then. Maybe your one shot at immortality.

Posted by: Cowboy at May 19, 2013 11:25 AM (FMrA0)

238 I've heard this movie is crap, but if you were looking for another excuse not to see it, here ya go.....


'Star Trek' Actor Calls Film's Terrorist a 'Freedom Fighter'

http://tinyurl.com/abh9anf


And......

Pegg goes on, bashing President George W. Bush anew in claiming the U.S. president was itching to start a war with Iraq, supporting fellow Trek co-star Cumberbatch's contention that the movie is a commentary on Bush's foreign policy.



    There is a parallel with the terrorist activities of Osama bin Laden and the decision to attack Iraq. Iraq had nothing proven to do with 9/11, and yet [President] Bush used that as an excuse to start a war with those people. You can always see the Klingons as like Iraq and John Harrison the proxy for Osama bin Laden."

    Admiral Marcus certainly seems like a stand-in for former Vice President Cheney. "Absolutely," Pegg laughs. "He's definitely a Republican."


Posted by: Tami[/i][/b][/u][/s] at May 19, 2013 11:26 AM (X6akg)

239 I think art laffer said 17% flat tax would cover true government needs like defense. Wonder what percent sales tax he would call for.
Posted by: bebe's boobs destroy

At current spending it would have to be closer to 28%.

70% of GDP is Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE)
17.9% of GDP is HCare
46% is Fed/State paid HCare

PCE ex Fed/State paid HCare -> 64%
SocSec is 4.9% of GDP

Say 4.9 - 0.9% savings -> 4%GDP -> ~60% of GDP is true PCE.

GDP is roughly $15 trillion

Therefore, assuming *static* numbers, PCE is $9trill

2012 Fed spending is $3.6 trillion, inc $1trillion borrowed.

Fed spending ex-borrowing -> $2.6 trillion then 28.89% of PCE needed for funding.

Again, this is assuming static numbers that don't change because of tax effects on consumption, or investment affecting all of the above.

You can see that if we want to target a sub-20% nat sales tax, the budget has to be cut drastically.

Posted by: weft cut-loop [/i] [/b] at May 19, 2013 11:27 AM (YTstp)

240 Speaking of socks....

Posted by: jwpaine @PirateBallerina at May 19, 2013 11:27 AM (/lWM8)

241 Admiral Marcus certainly seems like a stand-in for former Vice President Cheney. "Absolutely," Pegg laughs. "He's definitely a Republican."

Posted by: Tami at May 19, 2013 03:26 PM

Pegg should be under indictment for the celluloid crime called "Paul"


Posted by: kbdabear at May 19, 2013 11:28 AM (mCvL4)

242 I've heard this movie is crap, but if you were looking for another excuse not to see it, here ya go..... It might have been a better movie if there had been half that much thought put in it.

Posted by: zsasz at May 19, 2013 11:29 AM (MMC8r)

243 235 26 Fascinating Mug Shots Of Criminals In The1870s Posted by: Tami at May 19, 2013 03:21 PM (X6akg) I tried to figure out how much prison time Jon Corzine would have gotten, proportionately speaking, but my calculator caught on fire.

Posted by: rickl at May 19, 2013 11:30 AM (sdi6R)

244 Maybe the law is irrelevant

It would seem that the only law that the MSM takes seriously is GWR - "Governing While Republican"

Posted by: kbdabear at May 19, 2013 11:31 AM (mCvL4)

245

You can see that if we want to target a sub-20% nat sales tax, the budget has to be cut drastically.

 

That's kinda the point.

 

With the deficit  as big as it is, we have the perfect  excuse  to  pare   Fedzilla down to  a manageable size.

 

The pols don't, but we do. They  want a big gubmint.

Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit at May 19, 2013 11:31 AM (+z4pE)

246 Fascinating Mug Shots Of Criminals In The1870s Weird how they did mugshots back then.... http://tinyurl.com/a83tyko Posted by: Tami at May 19, 2013 03:21 PM (X6akg) Number six mug shot kinda looks like Bill Maher.

Posted by: YIKES! at May 19, 2013 11:32 AM (mETGQ)

247 239 Looks like all those guys in the 1870's dressed up for their mug shots, and were concerned over their poses. It was a very big deal getting your picture made back then. Maybe your one shot at immortality.

Posted by: Cowboy at May 19, 2013 03:25 PM (FMrA0)


Look how many of them had their right elbow on the back of their chair and the left hand clasping their right hand.  That can't just be coincidence...they must have been told to do that, right?

Posted by: Tami[/i][/b][/u][/s] at May 19, 2013 11:33 AM (X6akg)

248 Just thought I'd pop in and what's going on. Sorry I did. My heart hurts. Going back to beer and lutefisk.

Posted by: olddog in mo at May 19, 2013 11:37 AM (kx0VY)

249 Four months in the slammer for stealing pigeons.

Posted by: YIKES! at May 19, 2013 11:38 AM (mETGQ)

250 "they must have been told to do that, right?"


Since those shots are all from the same place, I'm guessing the photographer had them pose the same way.

Posted by: HH at May 19, 2013 11:38 AM (XXwdv)

251 The government will be downsized, it's coming. Social Security will be means tested, and benefits reduced. Health care will devolve back to private arrangements. Food stamps will get pared down like crazy. All the social spending is going to get whalloped, and hard. All this is coming, but not before it absolutely has to happen. They will insist on driving us into the ground first, and then we have to wallow in it for a while until we will able to muster and overthrow the current paradigms of governance. Just look at Detroit. That's a monument to what they're willing to do to us. The current ways will all pass and be supplanted. But, very likely, this will not happen in our lifetimes. Our design margin currently has enough fat to keep going, if inexorably downwards, for quite some time before it busts. So certitude that this redistributive model will fail brings scant comfort. We've got a long road of pain before this is widely accepted.

Posted by: Cowboy at May 19, 2013 11:38 AM (FMrA0)

252 3. Mary Catherine Docherty was sentenced to seven days of hard labor after being convicted of stealing iron. Her three accomplices, Mary Hinnigan, Ellen Woodman, and Rosanna Watson, were given the same punishment. I can understand poor people stealing clothing, chickens, wood, and coal, but why did four young girls steal iron? Were they going to try to sell it?

Posted by: rickl at May 19, 2013 11:41 AM (sdi6R)

253 Saw Star Trek Into Darkness in 3D this week (because I'd never seen a feature-length 3D movie before). It was OK. Without the 3D, however, I'd have to describe it as morally ambiguous, subtly nuanced and post-partisan--everything I like in a Star Trek movie.

apropos to nothing... Whatever happened to that educational tradition of hanging looters from the nearest lamppost, with a sign saying "Looter" pinned to their clothes?

Posted by: jwpaine @PirateBallerina at May 19, 2013 11:41 AM (/lWM8)

254 iron ingots where the beez-knees back in the day...

Posted by: Yip at May 19, 2013 11:42 AM (/jHWN)

255 I have an idea for how to keep the troll population to a minimum. After you hit post, a pop-up box asks you one of one thousand random basic questions about American government, basic civics stuff, the stuff that immigrants who legally want to enter the country have to know. True false or multiple choice. Pass, it posts. Fail, start over, do not collect $200.

Posted by: Name Withheld Upon Request [/i] at May 19, 2013 11:42 AM (U2UQk)

256 Since those shots are all from the same place, I'm guessing the photographer had them pose the same way.

Posted by: HH at May 19, 2013 03:38 PM (XXwdv)


Right....but it seems a funny pose for petty thieves.

Posted by: Tami[/i][/b][/u][/s] at May 19, 2013 11:44 AM (X6akg)

257 257 NWUR: I think that would also be a marvelous idea for the voting booth.

Posted by: rickl at May 19, 2013 11:44 AM (sdi6R)

258 Why the fuck are Pegg and Cumberbatch going after Bush and Cheney? They want to piss and moan about somebody, why don't they direct their ire at Tony Blair, their Parliament and MI5?
Fuckers pretend as if they have no role in Iraq or Afghanistan, just following orders from Bush and Cheney.

Posted by: lowandslow at May 19, 2013 11:45 AM (Fz2C7)

259 "This gives us little choice but to turn to the law in the hopes that IRS officials can be scared into proper behavior and other federal bureaucrats can be deterred" Was that sarcasm? The law is effing Irrelavent.

Posted by: olddog in mo at May 19, 2013 11:46 AM (kx0VY)

260 Why the fuck are Pegg and Cumberbatch going after Bush and Cheney? Actors. Not Thinkers.

Posted by: zsasz at May 19, 2013 11:46 AM (MMC8r)

261 Posted by: Tami at May 19, 2013 03:44 PM (X6akg)


One wonders. Maybe the photographer was going to go on a lecture tour later, showing how all these people who had stolen just needed the State to give them money so that they would never have to go to jail.

Slide shows and all of that...

Posted by: HH at May 19, 2013 11:50 AM (XXwdv)

262 Those thieves were posed, and in their very best clothes. Dollars to donuts, they weren't dressed like that upon arrest. They came dressed to be photographed, and were placed in the hands of a photographer, a professional, who composed the shot. It was a very big deal getting your picture taken back then. Had to look your best, and everybody was on the same page on that, police, judge, photographer, and prisoner.

Most of those thieves on that page were stealing out of outright necessity. They were mostly kids and women. They were in survival mode, living day to day. Getting that photo taken meant the advent of something rare in their lives. Permanence, the future. Thinking on those terms was a luxury they mostly could not afford while in their day to day survival mode.

Look where we are today. Everybody's living high on the hog in comparison. But most people are still in day-to-day thinking mode, with no regard to permanence or the future. If they had a mind for these things, they would chill to their bones when White House officials came out saying things like the law's irrelevant. But they're only concerned with keeping their day-to-day subsidies going. Lassiez les bon temps rollez.

Posted by: Cowboy at May 19, 2013 11:55 AM (FMrA0)

263 Schieffer to Obama Advisor: ‘Why Are You Here? Why Isn’t the White House Chief of Staff Here?’


The video stops and starts so watch all of it.  Given it's Schieffer, I was pretty surprised how he scolded this guy.


Here's a sample of what he asked Pfeiffer:

SCHIEFFER: But Mr. Pfeiffer, and I don't mean to be argumentative here, but the President is in charge of the executive branch of the government. ItÂ’s my, I'll just make this as an assertion: when the executive branch does things right, there doesn't seem to be any hesitancy of the White House to take credit for that. When Osama bin Laden was killed, the President didn't waste any time getting out there and telling people about it.

But with all of these things, when these things happen, you seem to send out officials many times who don't even seem to know what has happened. And I use as an example of that Susan Rice who had no connection whatsoever to the events that took place in Benghazi, and yet she was sent out, appeared on this broadcast, and other Sunday broadcasts, five days after it happens, and I'm not here to get in an argument with you about who changed which word in the talking points and all that. The bottom line is what she told the American people that day bore no resemblance to what had happened on the ground in an incident where four Americans were killed.



http://tinyurl.com/aazbrg3

Posted by: Tami[/i][/b][/u][/s] at May 19, 2013 11:57 AM (X6akg)

264 I looked up my house and neighborhood on Zillow. In all honesty, I don't think the decline in housing prices can be blamed on Obama. (Lord knows there are plenty of other things to blame him for.) Remember, there was a housing bubble, and values shot up to ridiculous levels. A good part of the decline is simply prices coming back down from the stratosphere and returning to some semblance of sanity. Looking at the 10 year chart, my house is worth more now than it was in December 2003. For my zip code as a whole, there was a steep slope upward that peaked in May 2006, then a slower decline to the present day.

Posted by: rickl at May 19, 2013 12:02 PM (sdi6R)

265 rickl, the thing was to compare housing in the DC area, say Fairfax County, VA or Montgomery County, MD, to the "real" America. Pennsylvania Ave vs. Main Street. That's where the shock lies.

Posted by: Cowboy at May 19, 2013 12:05 PM (FMrA0)

266 Oh, OK, Cowboy. You're right; I'm aware that the DC area is undergoing an unprecedented burst of wealth and prosperity. In fact, I even alluded to it in #170.

Posted by: rickl at May 19, 2013 12:13 PM (sdi6R)

267 Obama fundamentally transforms America (a brief primer):

There was a time when the IRS acted against Al Capone. Now, under Obama, the IRS acts like Al Capone.

There was a time when the FBI investigated crime syndicates. Now, under Obama, the FBI investigates for a crime syndicate.

There was a time when the ATF stopped Gun Running Gangs. Now, under Obama, the ATF is a Gun Running Gang.

There was a time when the TSA protected women  at airports. Now, under Obama, the TSA molests women at airports.

There was a time when people in India dreamed of coming to America to get Health Care. Soon now, under Obama, people in America will dream of going to India to get Health Care.

Posted by: FeralCat at May 19, 2013 12:14 PM (TWcaX)

268 rickl, I still have this sample house in Baltimore up in Zillow. Property taxes and 'assessed' value nearly doubled in the last five years while the value has dropped by one-third. If this same home in Baltimore was located in Washington DC it would be worth three or four times as much money.

Posted by: Name Withheld Upon Request [/i] at May 19, 2013 12:14 PM (U2UQk)

269 Regarding the housing market, my SIL sister is doing a bang up job. Selling McMansions around the DC area. To .gov weenies. Not REAL America by a long shot.

Posted by: RWC at May 19, 2013 12:16 PM (Wl/Ht)

270 I want to see Poofbah learn the relevance of law in the Federal slammer.

Posted by: Peregrine Took, Hobbit SOB at May 19, 2013 12:17 PM (erlzv)

271 272 I want to see Poofbah learn the relevance of law in the Federal slammer.

Posted by: Peregrine Took, Hobbit SOB at May 19, 2013 04:17 PM (erlzv)


Wearing an orange jumpsuit.

Posted by: Attila at May 19, 2013 12:22 PM (Cs2tJ)

272 The DOJ committed acts of war against a neighboring allied country by deliberately and secretly delivering weapons to narco-terrorists with the *express intent* that those weapons be used to commit violent acts in that country in hopes of obtaining essentially useless trace data which serves no crime-fighting purpose but did serve a political purpose. The Executive Branch has used several of its agencies including the IRS, DOJ, DHS, and EPA as if they were tools to punish or harm political opponents here in the US. The Executive Branch is effectively a criminally corrupt organization, and the integrity of the Republic is under as severe a threat as it has ever been. Not only is it as corrupted or moreso than under Wilson or LBJ, but it is orders of magnitude larger and more powerful a weapon directed against America itself. I think this is literally the most dangerous time in my life.

Posted by: Merovign, Dark Lord of the Sith's Other Mobile[/i][/b][/s] at May 19, 2013 12:24 PM (qyfb5)

273 49 With all due respect, Gabe, you're coming at this as a lawyer, thinking that the niceities of courts, procedures and metaphisical, uncorruptable justice is the remedy.

Pfeiffer is 100% right. We don't have the rule of law. It's said than ignorance of the law is no excuse. This is fine when the law is based on predictable, logical conclusions based on fundamental principles.

But who's to even guess what the law is now when it is invented by judges or made out of whole cloth by bureaucrats ("the secretary shall determine...").

I suppose rule by "wise" experts has its place, if it's universal. But, as is inevitable, it is a conveyer belt for corruption and this administration is shameless about it.

There is no arcane legal procedure that will save us from this, no white-hatted lawyers who can dig a republic out of these oligarchical ashes.

Excessive legalism has caused this problem, it's not going to solve it.

Posted by: AmishDude at May 19, 2013 02:19 PM (y56yu).

thank you

Posted by: Shoey at May 19, 2013 12:26 PM (m6OUa)

274 In most countries, the capital city, the seat of government, is the largest and richest. That has never been true in America, until now. In America of times past, while Washington was the seat of government, much of the wealth was generated in other cities, like New York, Pittsburgh, Detroit, and San Francisco. Some of those cities were also larger than Washington. Fundamental transformation, indeed.

Posted by: rickl at May 19, 2013 12:30 PM (sdi6R)

275 You stupid RethugliKKKans, the law IS irrelevant. The correctly-thinking persons will do whatever they need to break resistance. "The secretary will determine"- who picks the Secretaries? He does. Who picks the Attorney General? He does. You redneck racist yokels will do what Obama and His followers command, or the IRS, OSHA, BATF, and FBI will make your lives very unpleasant until you do.

Posted by: Mary Cloggenstein from Brattleboro, Vermont at May 19, 2013 12:35 PM (jUeGo)

276 I love the "abuse of power is not acceptable" crap from this regime.  The founders of this country understood that power invites abuse.  They carefully set up restrictions on power (Bill of rights)  and competing branches of government to minimize the amount of power that any one person or group would have.    But over 237 or so years much of the checks and balances have been eroded and with a media that is not fooled visAvis the book thread cartoon but rather  takes a "see no evil, hear no evil and for Barry's sake absolutely say nothing about any evil that you were unable to avoid learning about" approach to every bad thing a Dem does the country is in grave danger. 

Posted by: PaleRider at May 19, 2013 12:36 PM (ql12X)

277 Wow, just wow.

Posted by: Y-not, disgusted at May 19, 2013 12:43 PM (5H6zj)

278 A couple of glasses of wine, I get excited. The time is coming where the will to use our power is growing among the correct-thinking establishment. The long march through the institutions has borne a sweet harvest for us. We collect your taxes and use them as we wish. We educate your children, and their thinking is as we wish it, not as you wish. We make the rules that determine everything from what you can build to what you can drive. Your children will live in the world we made, the world you were not brave enough to keep.


The future belongs to our kind.

Posted by: Mary Cloggenstein from Brattleboro, Vermont at May 19, 2013 12:45 PM (jUeGo)

279 Can't a brotha spend a little time on the down low?  What's with all these people all up in his business?  Where was he, who was he with?  He gets to pick who he lets all up in his business. 

Posted by: No Way at May 19, 2013 12:52 PM (/4cAm)

280 "but I have to tell you that is exactly the approach that the Nixon administration took"

Ouch, that left a mark. Schieffer was indignant!

WH plan: send out unknown underling who knows nothing, accuse Repubs, exit stage left. Rinse, repeat. Keep it up. Eventually even the LIV will catch on.



Posted by: PJ at May 19, 2013 01:15 PM (ZWaLo)

281 I picked a house in Baltimore at random. It looks as if it has lost 33% of its value since Obama was elected. One third. Amazing. Sad, too. Posted by: Name Withheld Upon Request at May 19, 2013 03:19 PM (U2UQk) Well, I live in the subs north of B-more, and my house is worth considerably more than when I bought it a year ago. Part of that is that I got a great deal, and part of it is that suburban Baltimore floats to some degree on the DC bubble, lots of people who work down there for Uncle Sugar buy houses up here and commute because you can get more house for the money. It's still worth less than 5 years ago, however.

Posted by: Weirddave at May 19, 2013 01:51 PM (aH+zP)

282 "I canÂ’t speak to the law here. The law is irrelevant. The activity was outrageous and inexcusable, and it was stopped and it needs to be fixed so we ensure it never happens again."


In other words, it was fun while it lasted, and while it lasted, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.  Dear Leader was re-elected, which, at that time was the first step.   Step 2, crush the Republicrats, so we can really do what we want, especially post-2014 mid-terms.  Besides, now, WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?  We can't nullify the results of a landslide election (send back 11,000,000 undocmented workers doing the jobs that Amerikans won't do), why, it's simply too large and undertaking.   And even though it is inexcusable, it happened a long time ago, and there are much more important issues to deal with.........

Posted by: BART SIMPSONSSON at May 19, 2013 04:22 PM (fRFDs)

283 It's probably not a major crime, but jail time should be given to whomever lied on the FOIA request saying that were no policies to target conservatives when in fact there were.

Posted by: A Conservative Teacher at May 19, 2013 04:48 PM (idosS)

284 I've read thru all of these posts and find that #117 pretty much sums it up for me.

Posted by: CharlieH at May 20, 2013 04:16 AM (hwU/f)

285 My first thought was that resignations are good enough, so long as the 'guilty' lose all of their Gov't benefits and are outlawed from 'serving the public in office' for life.  I think that is a good enough penalty for most public workers, especially for what are at the very least ethics violations.  Imagine the amount of Gov't clean up we would have if the public employees personal self interest were threatened.  Right now, any fallguy knows he will be taken care of by his party for life.

Posted by: Tuerqas at May 20, 2013 05:49 AM (BLnGk)

Hide Comments | Add Comment | Refresh | Top

Comments are disabled. Post is locked.
235kb generated in CPU 0.1223, elapsed 0.3388 seconds.
64 queries taking 0.2863 seconds, 413 records returned.
Powered by Minx 1.1.6c-pink.

Support





Donate to Ace of Spades HQ!


Contact

Change the At to "@" and the DOT to "."




Intermarkets' Privacy Policy
Support


Donate to Ace of Spades HQ!


Search Thingy



Archives

Monthly Traffic

  • Pages: 14712
  • Files: 204
  • Bytes: 373.9M
  • CPU Time: 17:15
  • Queries: 423518

Content

  • Posts: 22824
  • Comments: 5953260

Feeds


RSS 2.0 Atom 1.0