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I've been combing through tons of political cartoons for work and this one was my favorite. It's from cartoonist Scott Stantis dated March 14, 2003.
Remember that other war. It has taken a back seat to the War on Terror, but the War on Drugs is still going strong. The prisoners of the War on Drugs are being crammed into overcrowded prisons, locally the state of Pennsylvania is reopening Western Pen. 1 in 32(!) Americans are either in prison, on probation, or paroled.
So Rick Santorum went down in flames and I didn't have to go to the polls to make it happen? Wow, democracy inaction works! I'm not so happy about Casey winning, but I am thrilled about Santorum losing. The best part of election night for me was seeing Santorum's freaky kids crying on stage during his concession speech. That pasty crew needs to get out more.Here's a good article on the Pennsylvania Senate race from Reason magazine.
The bright side: Divided government is a good thing. Remember the 90's? The '94 Republican "revolution" was good for making a gridlocked DC and the less they do, the better. Here's to two more years of a horrendous Bush administration doing less and less. Hopefully.
So you own a business where you let your customers choose to smoke do you? Well, a group of fourteen county council members in Allegheny County have taken that choice off the table. The ordinance has some legal hurdles to jump, but I'm sure the health nazis will prevail in making everyone's lungs safe while they damage their livers with alcohol or clog their arteries with trans fats.
Wait, trans fats are bad?!? The health nazis are already on it. New York City seems to set the standards for nanny state politics so don't be surprised if guilty pleasures are replaced with celery sticks and peanut butter. Hmm, on second thought peanut butter may be a bit too fatty.
I'm a non-smoker and this decision by the busy bodies of the county council makes my blood boil. Freedom of choice is under attack and people seem to be blind to that fact as long as their preference is held as the healthy choice. Welcome to the choiceless world of a paternalistic healthy utopia.
Oh joy, Disney is eyeing Pittsburgh for a film project if they can get their greedy hands on a $2 million state grant for funding the film. Lord knows they need it, Pirates of the Caribbean has only raked in $360 million thus far.
But what is $2 million in the grand scheme of things? Hell, taxpayers are paying nearly a half billion for a 1.2 mile extension to the light rail system here in Pittsburgh. (Thank you Porkmaster Santorum.) Now that is money well spent. I guarntee this project will end up costing the taxpayers close to $1 billion when all is said and done.
I'm sick to my stomach after watching the trailer for Al Gore's documentary on global warming. The environmentalist scaremongers have some new ammunition in this debate and former Vice President Gore is riding this missile straight to a theater near you. Enjoy the trailer now, because we'll all be dead soon. Thanks to the evil corporations of the world.
This article documenting the bids for the light-rail tunnel to the North Shore is infuriating.
Apparently, the money taxpayers foot for the two stadiums on the North Shore isn't enough to spur economic development. Weren't those stadiums supposed to be a boon to the city of Pittsburgh? Now the construction of a pair of twin tunnels underneath the Allegheny River "is considered a key to continuing development between PNC Park and Heinz Field."
The project will cost an estimated $393 million (mostly in federal funds) and we all know that it will end up costing a hell of a lot more. Already, the lowest bids for digging the tunnels are coming in well above the estimated cost. The pork that Sen. Santorum proudly bestowed upon Pittsburgh is a wasteful project that will serve as nothing more than a people mover for Steeler games eight times a year. Walk across the bridges you fat asses.
California Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, denied clemency for Stanley "Tookie" Williams. I don't really have any comments on the issue of the death penalty. My first thought when I read the news were possible one-liners Schwarzenegger may have used when he came to his decision.
"Mercy?! I'm afraid that my condition has left me cold to your pleas of mercy." -Arnold as Mr. Freeze in the fantastically bad Batman & Robin.
Oh, there has to be more than that. Feel free to add your own.
Wait a second. You mean the old guy who was the frontrunner all along won the mayoral race? Shocking!
BUSH: I'm not saying whether I came or not on Splash Day. I'm just saying, Do you have Splash Day? (via Drudge)
Apparently, Splash Day is a gay and lesbian event in Galveston. Bush was unaware that it has evolved into such an activity. Or was he? Here is a AP photo of Bush getting very cozy with the Saudi Prince:
(a) human embryos that are not fully human; (b) human embryos manufactured with parts from multiple embryos, fetuses, etc. (i.e. merging multiple people into a single person); (c) human eggs fertilized with animal sperm; (d) animal eggs fertilized with human sperm; (e) human eggs with an animal nucleus; (f) animal eggs with a human nucleus; (g) eggs with both human and animal chromosomes; (h) animals with human reproductive organs; and (i) animals with human brains or brains derived primarily from human neural tissue.Why do we a chimera-ban? According to a memo from Senator Brownback's office:
Now is the time to act as chimeras are now being created. One example is a January 2005 National Geographic magazine article notes that the line between humans and animals has begun to be blurred ââ¬Åby producing chimerasââ¬âa hybrid creature that's part human, part animal. Chinese scientists ââ¬Â¦ in 2003 successfully fused human cells with rabbit eggs. The embryos were reportedly the first human-animal chimeras successfully created.ââ¬ÂI want to see some gorilla/human hybrid football players as soon as possible. Or maybe a octopus/human gymnast? Call your senator and oppose this bill.
I could not escape this worthless story today. There was a New York Times article on Bush’s iPod playlist and it was also featured on ABC Nightly News. Why is this news? Here’s a sampling of what is on his iPod, if you care:
John Fogerty, “Centerfield”
Van Morrison, “New Biography,” “Brown Eyed Girl”
Slayer, “Devil Bile”
John Hiatt, “Circle Back”
Alan Jackson, “9/11 Makes Me Cry”
N.W.A., “Fuck tha Police”
Alejandro Escovedo, “Vote Republicano”
Divinyls, “I Touch Myself”
Joni Mitchell, “(You’re So Square) Baby, I Don’t Care”
The Wiggles, “Drink Your Milk”
The Gourds, “El Paso”
AC/DC, “Balls in My Pants”
Color Me Badd, “Baby I Love Your Boobs”
James McMurtry, “Valley Road”
The Thrills, “Say It Ain’t So”
The Knack, “My Sharona” (Not a joke)
El Debarge, “Stay With Me Until We Do It”
Political
photo-ops are the best. It's about the only thing that I enjoy about politics.
To the right, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is welcomed by former sumo
wrestling champion Konishiki as she arrives in Tokyo yesterday. It's a sideshow.
If you would like to tune in to the sideshow watch the hearings on steroids in baseball or may I suggest following the Terri Schiavo situation for an hour. Those stories are grandstandingly terrific!
Check out the slideshow I put together back in July for former presidential candidate Kerry.
(Photo via Drudge Report.) Say what you will about Drudge, but he sure posts the greatest AP/Reuters photos.
Alright, I woke up this morning and I knew something was a bit askew. It is the darkness that has enveloped the United States in the form of George W. Bush. Four more years and this country is heading to hell in a hand basket. (I'm just kidding.) This country has been through a hell of a lot worse than the Bush administration. I just hope Bush curbs federal spending, but I'm not holding my breath. With the increase of Republicans in the Senate and House the spending spree will likely continue. As for the Iraq situatiion, US involvment in that mess would not have changed regardless of who won this election.
So my prediction yesterday of a Kerry win was off. Maybe I meant Kerry would win Pennsylvania?
The funniest thing to come out of this year's election is the low turnout for 18-29 year olds. Exit poll data showed a turnout of 17% among the Rock the Vote generation. That was the same turnout as 2000. Vote or Die my ass.
Thank goodness this election is over!
"It does not matter which way you vote. Either way your planet is doomed. Doomed. Doomed." -Kang
I voted today. I'm special aren't I. One girl waiting in line couldn't keep her excitement to herself as she exclaimed, "I'm so excited about voting!" How lame can you get. I guess the MTV "Rock the Vote" campaign is working. By working, I mean getting all the morons who watch MTV out to the polls.
Anyway, I ended up voting Libertarian across the board. With the exception of voting for myself for Senate. Why the hell not? I was seriously considering voting for Kerry, but my conscience wouldn't shut up. Oh well.
Prediction: Kerry wins.
Five days until this election is over. Almost everywhere I go I hear people talking about the "most important election of our lifetime." I have grown to hate politics with a passion and I'd prefer to make fun of the absurd process rather than participate in it. Here are a few stories from the last couple of days which I find entertaining:
Sorry, but I just don't see that big of a difference.
In the so-called "most important election of our life time," I have decided to vote for myself. And you should do the same.
A two year old federal agency wasting money is as surprising as the Red Sox getting beat down by the Yankees.
The best is the "lifetime achievement award" for one worker with the relatively new TSA. It didn't take long for the TSA to find out how to waste cash like the big boys.
Highlights from the GOP convention.
The following statement is from a speech on September 12, 2002. Try and guess who said it?
I believe that Saddam Hussein's Iraqi regime represents a clear threat to the United States, to our allies, to our interests around the world, and to the values of freedom and democracy we hold dear.
Saddam has proven his willingness to act irrationally and brutally against his neighbors and against his own people. Iraq's destructive capacity has the potential to throw the entire Middle East into chaos, and poses a mortal threat to our vital ally, Israel.
What's more, the terrorist threat against America is all too clear. Thousands of terrorist operatives around the world would pay anything to get their hands on Saddam's arsenal, and there is every possibility that he could turn his weapons over to these terrorists. No one can doubt that if the terrorists of September 11th had had weapons of mass destruction, they would have used them. On September 12, 2002, we can hardly ignore the terrorist threat, and the serious danger that Saddam would allow his arsenal to be used in aid of terror.
Click here to read the full speech and to find out the identity of the speaker.
Had a message waiting for me on my answering machine. It was from the Kerry campaign and the recorded message wanted to let me know that John Kerry cares about working families. Not only that, but he will fight against terrorism and lower health care costs. I'm sold!
This recorded message changed my outlooked on the whole politcal process. Thanks John Kerry and thanks to Bruce McCulloch for the song. You can purchase the full album here.
After
much speculation and meaningful conversations with my family and friends, I
have decided to throw my hat into the political arena. I will be running as
a write-in candidate for the President of the United States.
I realize that the election is six weeks away and the odds are against me,
but I am up for the challenge. I am a simple man with simple dreams from a simple
town and quite simply I have what it takes to be your dictator
President. I know I'm not the constitutionally approved age of 35, but I'm running
a campaign based on love and love knows no boundaries. I think that will be
my campaign slogan: "Matt Niemi: Love Knows No Boundaries." And when
the hell is the last time a presidential candidate mentioned the Constitution
anyhow?
As of this posting, I have secured the endorsements from the following groups and individuals: Bronson Pinchot Society; Box Movers of America Local 311; The International Brotherhood of Carpet Shampooers; Pinmonkeys United; Senator Lincoln Chafee; Wilford Brimley Fan Club (Pittsburgh Chapter); Wilford Brimley; Promise Keepers; Jan-Michael Vincent; Mail-A-Ham Inc.; Fortified Wine Aficionados.
As a young child I always wanted to tell people what to do and I always knew what was best for my fellow man. Now is the time to realize my full potential as a busy body.
I am going to fight the world until the world is a better place!
Everyone's favorite crackhead mayor is back in the political sideshow. According to the Washington Post (registration required), Marion Barry is "all but assured" to return to Washington DC's city hall as a D.C. Council member for Ward 8. Ward 8 is the most economically depressed and violent areas of the city, but I'm sure Barry will turn that around in no time.
The unwatchable Republican National Convention was even more so last night. It is pretty bad when the best speech is by Arnold Schwarzenegger. I am convinced that Elizabeth Dole and Laura Bush are not human. They were built in some sort of lab, but the Bush daughters scored a ten on the cringe-o-meter. Their "speech" was absolutely painful.
"I've reached the conclusion, retrospectively, now that the inadequate intelligence and faulty conclusions are being revealed, that all things being considered, it was a mistake to launch that military action,"
— Not John Kerry, but GOP Congressman Rep. Doug Bereuter
The anti-war Bush haters have little to gain in a Kerry presidency. Yes, they won't have to look at George W. anymore (which seems to be the only "issue" they care about), but the fact is Senator Kerry would have voted for the war in Iraq regardless of the exsistance of WMDs. Kerry thinks Bush misused the sweeping powers that Congress bestowed upon him and he now believes that he can handle the war better. It is laughable that Kerry is banking on a groundswell of European support, if elected.
Under pressure to say whether he would vote the same way today, Kerry told reporters Monday:
"Yes, I would have voted for the authority, I believe it's the right authority for a president to have."
— Senator John Kerry, August 9, 2004
Today is the start of the 2004 Democratic Convention. There has been much discussion about John Kerry showing the voters the "real" John Kerry. One of the most ridiculous aspects of the modern political campaign is the photo-op, and it seems that John Kerry has perfected the art of the photo-op.
Note: The photos are not photo-shopped in any way. He looks like a cartoon or an action figure of somekind.
Update: For some reason the Kerry campaign is bringing more attention to the "Astronaut Kerry" photo. Read this transcript via Matt Drudge.
A busy body politician is trying to make all bars and restaurants smoke free in the state of Pennsylvania. On the bright side, in a few years you won't have to think for yourself anymore. I'm a non-smoker and this kind of nanny state policy makes me sick.
And nine reasons why Kerry won't be much better.
Why do I subscribe to Reason magazine? Because of articles such as this.
The AP is reporting that there is a possibility that Mike Ditka will run for U.S. Senate in Illinois. Although, I don't think he will run he would probably win if he decides to. The Illinois Republican Party is desperate after Jack Ryan withdrew when old sex allegations rocked the perfect candidates campaign. Surprisingly, his web site is still up.
Is this a big stretch? Most politicians are characters anyhow. Very, very boring characters. Why not Ditka? He would be great to watch unlike duds like John Kerry, Joe Lieberman, Lincoln Chafee, and Mike DeWine. Just thinking of those legislators makes me sleepy.
Hopefully one day a candidate will be chosen via a reality television series. Too bad that would probably violate some arcane federal election law.
I'll buy W Ketchup right after I buy a bunch of French wine and pour it down the drain. Remember all the morons who did that to protest France's position on Iraq? (Didn't they still buy the wine anyway?) I guess Republicans can buy W Ketchup to put on their "Freedom Fries."
What does winning in Iraq consist of? A new democracy in the Middle East? The Bush administration acts as if instituting a new democracy is like planting a weed. It will take root in less than a few months. Personally, I don't think the situation in Iraq is winnable and the fact that the so-called handover is exactly six weeks away doesn't help the situation. What sane Iraqi would want a position in the new U.S. approved government? They might-as-well put a giant target on their back. But what do I know?
The past two days I read a couple of articles that have strengthened my belief that this is a terrible situation and it is only going to get worse. Here are the articles:
The new line of John Kerry for President ads are on the air in Pennsylvania. The ad titled "Heart" is full of fluff. Comments from his wife, daughter, and fellow Vietnam veterans are fine. Full of fluff of course, but fine.
The quote by John Kerry at the end of the ad made me laugh out loud, "We are a country of optimists. We're the can do people. We just need to believe in ourselves again." What the hell is he talking about? Is he running for President or selling a self-help book?
I can only hope that there will be some crazy riots and protests outside of the GOP convention in New York City this Summer. According this New York Times article, the crazy leftist Bush-haters are planning on infiltrating the ranks of convention volunteers to disrupt the event. This will probably be the most highly guarded place on Earth and any sign of disobedience will be met with swift and brutal action. Good luck to the all the protesters.
I'm just hoping to see some tear gas and clubbings. Something like the '68 Democratic Convention in Chicago. I would actually tune in to watch this otherwise pointless charade.
As the weeks go by, the situation in Iraq seems to be getting worse. It may be a bit early to compare Iraq and Vietnam, but this article from Cato's Ted Galen Carpenter draws some interesting parallels.
Senator Chuck Hagel recently suggested that the United States should bring back conscription to help U.S. forces in Iraq. I had planned to write something a bit longer, but the idea of a draft makes my skin crawl so just read this or this.
It is only April 20th and I am already tired of the political ads that are bombarding the airwaves in Pennsylvania. Ok, I was tired of them much earlier than this, but I have decided to document my distaste for the campaign process today.
PA is a "battleground" state, but this early ad blitz is absurd. Are voters even considering who they are going to back in November? The only people who have made up their minds are the Bush-haters and the Bush-backers. These two groups made up their minds a long time ago and all these ads aren't going to change a thing. The middle of the road voter will start thinking about the election after Labor Day and all these ads will have already gone through one ear and out the other.
I just find it hard to believe that the Dems couldn't come up with anyone better than Kerry. He makes Al Gore look like an exciting candidate. His stump speeches are as riveting as the second half of the much over-hyped Lost in Translation.
Kerry or Bush? No thanks. I will once again abstain from voting, because regardless of who becomes the next president the federal government will continue to grow at an obscene rate. As pointless as it may be, I would choose to vote Libertarian but less than 1% of the electorate doesn't cut it.
