Scrutiny Hooligans

We've Moved!

2007-04-03T12:30:00.000-05:00

After a few years of using Blogger (and dealing with all of the technical issues therein, such as the dreaded eaten posts, outages and downtimes, etc., all of which seemed to be exacerbated by Blogger's takeover by Google), the Hooligans sat down a few months ago over homemade chili & cornbread to discuss our options regarding the future of this blog. We decided to take matters into our own hands and jumped platforms from Blogger to WordPress, from Blogspot to our very own domain.

Effective immediately, we will be located at:

http://www.scrutinyhooligans.us/

Please do us a solid and update your bookmarks, blogrolls and rss feeds. We'll do the same if you ever switch URLs. :)

We'll leave this site active for the time being, at least until all of the archived posts get imported from Blogger.

As we move into this brave new world of open-source blogging, Scrutiny Hooligans would like to thank you, our loyal readers, for your support over the past three years, and for your continued support in the future. This is a bold and exciting new venture for us, and we'd be honored if you came along for the ride.

Love,
The Hooligans
(Screwy Hoolie, Uptown Ruler, Catchy Pseudonym, Writ of Summons, Funk-O-Meter, syntax, & Drama Queen)

Woodfin Diesel Power Plant: VICTORY

2007-04-03T09:11:00.000-05:00

The Woodfin Board of Adjustment denied Progress Energy the conditional use permit to build their diesel-fired power plant. While Progress Energy can appeal the Board's decision through the Court of Appeals, this unnecessary, ill-conceived, sneakily planned power plant is kaput.

Give yourselves a hand.

From the AC-T: "A town board early this morning voted down a proposal by Progress Energy to build a $72 million power plant in Woodfin.

About 150 people had packed a public hearing of the Board of Adjustment, saying they worried the plant would bring down property values and hurt air quality.
[...]
“We had what seemed like an overwhelming amount of evidence that it wouldn’t benefit Woodfin,” board Chairman Robert Powers said."
[...]
"“I don’t think we need to burn anything to make fuel anymore,” she said. “I would like to see Progress be champion instead of a villain.”

Warren Wilson College economics professor Susan Kask told board members the power plant’s location would lower property values regardless of environmental impact.

“It could be the cleanest plant in the world,” Kask said. “It doesn’t matter.”

Mountain Voices Alliance, The Canary Coalition, and all the other conservationists out there who fought this dirty deal, Scrutiny Hooligans salute you.

And to the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, it's a sad day when Woodfin has to teach you what responsible governance looks like. Ramsey, Stanley, Peterson, Young, Gantt - you missed your chance to do the right thing. Now all of you are simply the tools who tried to sell our children's health and energy future to Big Energy for a dollar a year. See you in '08.

Candidate Flack, I Have Some Questions

2007-04-03T07:12:00.000-05:00

Democracy For America is hosting a forum for Buncombe Democratic Party candidates for Chair and First Vice Chair. That means you'll likely see Randy Flack, Political Director of Heath Shuler's campaign and lifelong Shuler friend and mentor, running for Chair and Kathy Sinclair, current First Vice Chair and progressive leader, running for her current seat. I don't believe they have any competition, but someone may yet turn up. The forum is Wednesday, April 4th, 7pm at North Asheville Public Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave., Asheville NC 28804.

The forum is open to the Democratic-aligned public. DFA luminary and Democratic Precinct Captain, Doug Gibson, said in an email,

"We'll be giving candidates for the top two slots in the county Democratic Party a chance to introduce themselves to the public. We'll also give the public a chance to ask them questions. Whether you're a yellow-dog Democrat or a progressive who happens to vote for Democratic candidates, we hope you'll come."

The Buncombe Democratic Party, as I wrote in a post back in January, is poised to change if the Old Guard opens the process to energized, motivated progressives. If the Old Guard is not prepared to invite others to share in decision making, then progressives will abandon them and/or wait for them to die before taking over the party they built for decades. If the Old Guard does invite progressives in, then we'll be the strongest county party in the country.

I don't know how many questions I'll get to ask at the forum, but, should any of the candidates or friends of theirs read this humble blog, I'll ask several here and hope for answers before the County Democratic Party Convention on April 14th.

Candidate Flack, Democrats on the county commission recently gave a sweetheart deal to Progress Energy for the construction of a diesel-fired power plant in Woodfin. Congressman Shuler ran, in part, on an alternative energy platform. When asked about this conflict and about Rep. Shuler's plans for alternative energy initiatives, Commissioner Carol Peterson laughed mockingly, saying, "That Heath!" How will the Democratic Party Chair address such glaring inconsistencies and power struggles?

Candidate Sinclair, it seems to me you've been the punching bag for the Old Guard of the party ever since you were elected to your seat. How do you manage to stay motivated when your own party members put you down and short-change your efforts?

Candidate Flack, you have a long and deep history with Heath Shuler. How will any primary challenger to Congressman Shuler know that you will remain an honest broker? If that challenger should beat Shuler, will you pledge tonight to support that nominee?

Candidates Sinclair and Flack, how can the county party encourage more participation by progressives?

Candidate Flack, what will the county apparatus do differently under your leadership? How will GOTV change?

Either Candidate, will y'all get me a Wii?

What questions do you Hooligans have for the candidates? Put them in the comments and/or come on out to the forum.

For a taste of Randy Flack, watch this video, shot at a Shuler town meeting during the campaign -

Hey, fellow progressives: are we locked out or are we just not walking in the door?

2007-04-02T21:05:00.000-05:00

Henderson County Democratic Party Chair Eva Ritchey feels marginalized by the Democratic Party. Why? Because she's a woman? Somewhat. Because she's progressive? Definitely. But mostly because she's of the 43% of pro-life Democrats that the party doesn't want to talk about.

Now, that's all another argument. But, what I found fascinating and want you to consider was her analysis of how progressives marginalize themselves. Check it out:

She also has some fine words about inclusion for the 11th district democratic party leadership: "If leadership comes only from one area or one group of people, when we get to the next election, we will be hurting ourselves."

These two videos are just a sampling of series of conversations with the always provocative Eva I've posted over at BlueNC. (It's a direct link to the post so you won't have to wade through the cartoons . . .)

Fun and Games: The Tarheel Tavern #110

2007-04-02T09:06:00.000-05:00

Judging by the number of hits I got yesterday from the Tarheel Tavern's cobwebsite, there were a lot of you waiting for this week's edition to hit the Tubes. Well it's April, fools, and your host was enthralled away from the mighty laptop into other worlds, where games are central to relationships and fun is more than just a Tavern theme. This was also to be the April Fools Day that heralded the launch of Scrutiny Hooligans 3.0, but technical difficulties got between us and metamorphosis. So thanks for showing up a day late, Taverngoers, to read the finest blogging in our Tarheel state at a soon to be reborn site.

I'd originally planned to play an April Fools joke by linking the title of every post to someone else's post, but I thought better of it when I saw that some people would miss the opportunity to join the biggest bandwagon to hit the NC creative writing scene since Charles Frazier gave hope to so many long-suffering novelists.

Billy: "Calling on ALL poets, novelists, short story authors and creative writers from all genres, in-print or only online: I'm about to launch the biggest thing that ever happened to creative writers and I need your help."

At A Sort of Notebook, Waterfall is working on a novel of her own, and she's blogging about the experience. In this post, she's polysyllabically enrapt by uliginous, sclerenchyma, malodorous, and valetudinarian.

Steve Emery is also playing with words, but his have lusty, frondescent counterparts you won't find in my garden: Bleets and Floccoli, Plumpkins and Monkmelons, Tomandos and Lemon Blam.

The always absurd Billy Sugarfix announces the winner of his latest lyrical recontre and performs it for all you Taverners. Have a listen while you scroll down the page.

In the Labyrinth of Many Names, Hamjamser, leads intrepid readers into a chimerical puzzle of lysergic dimensions:

"Interestingly enough, I visited the Palace of Madmen once (or the Changing Maze, the Sanctuary of Dreams, the Labyrinth of Many Names, the Heap, or whatever else you care to call it). I stumbled across one of the back doors. There are no front doors."

In the world of politics every door looks like an exit or an opportunity. This collection of four political submissions ranges from the disturbing to the disturbingly funny:

Last week's Tavern host, Bharat at The Olive Ridley Crawl, finds no fun and no games in Environmental Racism, "As life in the third world becomes more miserable, the rich countries can always build more walls."

The View From the Cheap Seats has a very fun picture of politicians in suits and hardhats breaking ground on a jail that's been a game of tug-of-war, "This would have not made the project the “Twin Towers of Terror” that the Downtown Jail Trail crowd had been bloviating about for the past couple of years."

Ogre tells a joke about those stoopid gubmint workers (don't tell all my schoolteacher and civil servant friends!).

And this blog, Scrutiny Hooligans, airs WNCNN's Mad Miss Mattie as she announces that Presidential confidante and swirling dungpile of controversy, Karl Rove, is coming to Hendersonville to teach the eleventh district Republicans how to become even bigger bastards.

We'll end this week's Tavern with maximum randomness - Tarheel Tavern Blogfather, Coturnix at Blog Around the Clock, demystifies elephantine firewalking, "you may just start by assuming an elephant as a sphere." First time Taverner, Breakfast With Pandora, is blogging from Greece and wants us to enjoy the sights, "In the distance, the Saronic Gulf, smoky blue. I leapt off the last stair, hit Hellenic tarmac, and let out a whoop."

Lastly, here's Moomin Light's luminous offering to the one-day-late April Fools edition of the Tarheel Tavern, a trio of sassy penguins and one miserable nature photographer.

The Tarheel Tavern is looking for hosts. It's a great way to get a ton of traffic, meet your fellow bloggers, and read some of the best work in North Carolina. Email me at scrutinyhooligans (A t) yahoo <[dot]> com if you're interested in hosting #111, 112, or 113.

Woodfin residents: Monday is your chance!

2007-04-01T17:00:00.000-05:00

All are welcome but only Woodfin residents can speak out against the proposed oil-burning plant tomorrow night at the Woodfin Planning and Zoning Board, Monday, April 2, 6:30, Woodfin Town Hall.

If the good people of Woodfin don't stop this, it's in the hands of boards whose members may or may not have our best interests at heart. Just look at the Public Utilities Commission. According to IndyWeek's Lisa Sorg, "Four of seven members have ties to industries they regulate." NC WARN's Executive Director Jim Warren calls Governor Easley's last appointment "a gift to the power companies." He writes:

This state’s big power companies have for years acted like they own the legislature, along with the Utilities Commission and its so-called Public Staff. Governor Mike Easley’s appointment of Edward Finley to the Commission yesterday represents solid reassurance to Duke Energy and Progress Energy that good-ole-boy politics are firmly in place in North Carolina.

So, here's hoping the officials of Woodfin figure out (with your help) that this is NOT the best option for our future. It's wrong for our air, our heath, our pocketbooks, and it certainly is not going to decrease our dependence on foreign oil, (remember, this is supposedly the goal of every patriotically-minded American . . . right?)

From the Canary Coalition:

The Woodfin Planning and Zoning Board will decide whether to grant a Conditional Use Permit to Progress Energy for building and operating an oil-burning power plant.
This hearing and the following decision by the Board could stop the construction of this power plant. If you can attend this hearing, it's important to do so. Come at about 5:30 so we can coordinate speakers and strategy. We're getting good signals from Woodfin public officials. Public support is crucial.

Go to Mountain Voices Alliance for more info. (Scroll down for the cool "click-and-print" posters.

syntax's Record Collection: The Flaming Lips

2007-03-31T14:14:00.000-05:00

"Talkin' 'Bout the Smiling Deathporn Immortality Blues (Everyone Wants to Live Forever)", from Hit to Death in the Future Head

(Happy Saturday, everyone. See you at the bowling alley...)

Will NC-11 Republicans Get in Bed With Rove?

2007-03-31T12:49:00.000-05:00

It's understandable that, given the bruised egos of western North Carolina's disgraced Republican leaders, they would welcome a visit from a nationally renowned strategist like Karl Rove. God knows the National Republican Campaign Committee left former Congressman Charles Taylor twisting in the wind during the 2006 race, spending millions of his own dollars, running unsophisticated ad after unsophisticated ad on radio and television. The NRCC spent hundreds of millions of dollars for the privilege of losing to Democrats across America, but they didn't spend it in NC-11.

NC-11's Republican Party leaders have decided to hitch their wagons to Bush's dying star. Karl Rove's visit to Hendersonville, NC in late April is the beginning of a concerted effort among George Bush/Charles Taylor Republicans to desperately cling to Rove's slash-and-burn style of politics.

We've seen the GSA testimony reveal the depth of corruption of this administration, spending taxpayer dollars to teach government employees how best to target and defeat Democrats in 2008. We've seen Alberto Gonzales lie to Congress while his President stands by him. We've seen Karl Rove mock the Congress of the United States at the Correspondent's Dinner. Rove's tactics are uncivil, misleading, and bad for democracy.

Take the new NRCC attack site. The Shuler page is filled with poorly referenced disinformation. Rove's partisan hit squad accuses Shuler of turning over "United States homeland security protections to the United Nations" for voting to implement the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission.

For voting to strengthen our national security based on the findings of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission, Rove and his colleagues attack Heath Shuler. Why? Because they are not interested in truth. They are interested only in retaking Washington to restore the unaccountable systematic culture of corruption they worked to create since 2000. The entire attack site is riddled with inaccuracies like the one I mention above. Rove and the Bush/Taylor Republicans plan to retake Congress with lies, spin, and fury.

NC-11 Republicans will likely be hypnotized by Rove's promises of money. They will likely turn the Congressional race over to Washington consultants who will stroke their tender egos. Our district will likely see a campaign so dirty that people will pine for the days of Taylor's stupid graphics and grade school scripts. This is not good for us or for anyone. Even Bush/Taylor Republicans must know that Karl Rove and George Bush's era of lies is ending, so I must conclude that this pack of Republicans are desperate, desperate enough to sacrifice their principles for Rove's dark star power.

Contact your local Republican party today to let them know that Rove's slash-and-burn politics aren't welcome in our mountains, or take this opportunity to donate to Heath Shuler. He's going to need some major resources to fight this sort of underhanded, well-funded, dirty politicking.

Mad Miss Mattie announces Rove visit

2007-03-30T13:54:00.000-05:00

Can you believe WNCNN's Mad Miss Mattie is pimping for the Republicans? I'm shocked. Check it out. She's disgusting.

Rove coming to 11th District April 28!!!!!!

2007-03-30T11:33:00.000-05:00

Mark your calendars. In a move of obvious and excessive desperation, the Republicans of the 11th District are scraping the bottom of the political barrel and dragging disgraced (and disgusting) political hack extraordinaire Karl Rove to their convention April 28. West Henderson High School. We'll get you the time when we have it. Could it be that Taylor is coming back from the crypt to run again?

Maybe Rove'll do this rap song:

Rumor has it that Mad Miss Mattie is all excited about it.

Rove targeted Shuler, Part II: We paid for it

2007-03-30T11:01:00.000-05:00

Didn't think about it in my last post on the subject but this power point pdf where Rove was targeting our own Congressman in the next election was paid for by you and me.

Nothing like subverting the political process by using government money to undermine your opponents. For years we've all been talking about how totalitarian things are getting. Now more and more evidence is popping up. Aren't you lovin' the two-party system? Subpoena-power is so much fun.

Here's the video testimony.

Oops.

2007-03-30T08:36:00.000-05:00

This is a DJ's worst nightmare...

(h/t - GetLoFi)

Schlafly: It's Not Rape If You're Married!

2007-03-30T07:43:00.000-05:00

Via the Lewiston, ME Sun Journal (emphasis mine):

For four decades, right-wing icon Phyllis Schlafly has been an anti-feminist spokeswoman for the national conservative movement.

Schlafly, now 81, brought her long-running campaign to Bates College on Wednesday night in a lecture titled "Conservativism vs. Feminism: The Great Debate," which played to a near-capacity crowd of more than 135 students and visitors at Chase Hall.

The event was sponsored by the Bates College Republicans.

For nearly two hours, she belittled the feminist movement as "teaching women to be victims," decried intellectual men as "liberal slobs" and argued that feminism "is incompatible with marriage and motherhood."

Disappointing none - especially the gaggle of women students who showed up sporting T-shirts reading "This Is What A Feminist Looks Like" - the presentation brought several moments of high agitation.

One came when Schlafly asserted women should not be permitted to do jobs traditionally held by men, such as firefighter, soldier or construction worker, because of their "inherent physical inferiority."

"Women in combat are a hazard to other people around them," she said. "They aren't tall enough to see out of the trucks, they're not strong enough to carry their buddy off the battlefield if he's wounded, and they can't bark out orders loudly enough for everyone to hear."

At one point, Schlafly also contended that married women cannot be sexually assaulted by their husbands.

"By getting married, the woman has consented to sex, and I don't think you can call it rape," she said.

Oh, Phyllis, you hot little minx...

Forgive my taking this post to a base level, but I'm convinced that if Phyllis Schlafly had ever experienced an orgasm, the Eagle Forum never would have been established in the first place. So, who wants to step up and take one for the team while giving Ms. Schlafly one she'll never forget?

Didn't think so.

(h/t - Right Wing Watch)

Who Is This Man and Why Is He Asleep On My Lawn?

2007-03-30T00:13:00.000-05:00

Black Mountain Library To Host Environmental Film Series

2007-03-29T20:45:00.000-05:00

AC-T/Black Mountain News:

A five-film series on environmental and sustainability issues will be presented at the Black Mountain Library: March 30 – “Kilowatt Ours;” April 13 - “Who Killed the Electric Car?;” April 27 - “The End of Suburbia;” and May 11 - “The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil.” Films will be shown in the Black Mountain Library Education Room, 105 N. Dougherty Street, at 7 p.m. Sponsored by Rainbow Recycling and the Black Mountain Library. Call 669-8722 for information.

Good stuff.

Buncombe County Commissioner denies secret meetings

2007-03-29T09:52:00.000-05:00

Evades question on alternatives,

health consequences, lack of public input;

Calls the Woodfin power plant "a good decision"

Carol agreed to the interview as part of my "Women in Power" series for BlueNC's Women on Wednesdays. The videos were uploaded Saturday. On Sunday, she called to ask me to "pull" the ones referring to the Progress Energy Woodfin plant. I offered to correct any inaccuracies either in print or by video. She has not responded.

In her courthouse office Tuesday, Buncombe County Commission Vice Chair Carol Peterson insisted she and fellow commissioners did not meet secretly with Progress Energy before unanimously approving a $72 million diesel-fired power plant. Click on the video below to hear her comments.

Chair Nathan Ramsey has admitted that he, in addition to Commissioners Stanley and Peterson, met with Progress Energy for two years. Ramsey and Peterson have previously stated that the meetings were legal because they was not a quorum present. Two environmental groups have written Attorney General Roy Cooper to request he investigate the secret negotiations. Since the contract calls for the county to lease 72 riverfront acres for a dollar a year, the meetings may not have been legal under state sunshine laws, which mandate open meetings when negotiating land deals under market value.

"The land is worthless," Carol said. She said the power company will no longer be able to buy power from out-of-state after 2009. The plant is planned for peak use only. Click on the video below to hear her explain why she calls the sweetheart contract approval "a good decision."

Alternative energy and community groups were given a month to research the vast array of alternatives. There were no public meetings specifically established for citizen input and no system set up to accept alternative bids.

At the commission's regular January 16 meeting, citizens could sign up at 4 p.m. and wait hours until the meeting's end to have 3 minutes to comment. At that meeting Chair Nathan Ramsey cut off comment after 30 minutes. He then allowed a Progress Energy spokesman to speak against the published rules. Not only had the Progress Energy representative not registered in advance (nor was he on the agenda), he was allowed to go beyond the three-minute time limit strictly enforced on residents. At this meeting, the board voted unanimously to approve the proposed contract.

There has been no evidence presented or obtained through public disclosure requests to suggest that any alternatives to this plant were researched or considered.

During the ten to fifteen minutes I questioned Carol about the Progress Energy plant, she avoided questions about the health consequences as well as how the county will monitor and/or evaluate Progress Energy's decisions to turn on the plant for peak use. Carol said that that the plant would never be fired up in this video clip, if only conservation measures outlined on the Buncombe County Commissioner's website were employed.

Over at BlueNC you can find other assorted clips from the hour-long interview.

[Added by Screwy: We'll be writing a lot more about this revealing interview over the next several days, and we encourage you, good Hooligans, to review the videos and the facts. Let us know via email (scrutinyhooligans ((at)) yahoo com) what you find that we've missed. There are a lot of behind the scenes machinations at work right now, and our continued willingness to tell the truth about this ill-considered diesel power plant is making a difference.]

Leading Buncombe Republicans Have Public Donnybrook

2007-03-29T00:07:00.000-05:00

In the hallowed online comment sections of the Asheville Citizen-Times there is much firebreathing and little substantive debate, and, for the most part, that's what we expect when we visit. The ALLCAPS DemocracKKK attacks, the dismissiveness, and the all around disposable nature of the conversations don't normally make for anything newsworthy in and of themselves.

That changed today when Conservative Republican and gadfly Don Yelton got into a verbal sparring match with semi-libertarian anti-immigration Action Club leader and blogging gadfly, Tim Peck. The two got into it over a letter to the editor criticizing the process at the March 10th Buncombe County Republican Convention, at which Mike Harrison was named Chair of the Buncombe County Republicans over Chad Nesbitt. What began as a standard, unfriendly comment thread soon erupted into a political voyeur's paradise, letting the online community know just how fractious local party politics can be. While many folks commented, the Peck-Yelton exchange is what really makes this thread a gem.

Peck: "Mike Harrison is the best choice as chairman for Buncombe County Republicans. Whether they know it or not.

The alternative, Chad Nesbitt, would have been an embarrassing disaster."

Yelton: "But what was good was there was nominations encouraged from the floor, and the vote count was in public and not in secret. These two things are much better than what I have seen at the Democratic conventions.

Now for this convention. Opinions are like what we sit on. They all smell at one time or another.
There were some things that occurred that should not have occurred but I disagree with you Tim Peck. Just like your stand on drugs and you bad mouthing me behind my back because you listened to your drinking buddy that must be told to let those that read this stuff know where you come from.

Now you have a right to an opinion but it isdefinitely dead wrong about Chad. My wish is that Chad and all of those that want an open charging party stay around and see it happen."

Peck: "I guess we disagree about that. And I see that the BCGOP also thought that Mike Harrison was the better choice. That's good."
[...]
"I have not taken a stand on drugs. What I have done, in several forums, is take a stand against unconstitutional, over-reaching and paternalistic government with regard to prohibition. This is not a "stand on drugs."

Yelton: "hello [sic] Tim it is me and I know what was said by people about Chad, and phone calls were made as if they were from the party (that was underhanded). You continue to make it necessary that the truth be told. Yes phone calls were made and people talked about Chad behind his back. Actually people said such things as he is a mouth piece for Don Yelton. Anybody that knows Chad, knows he is not a mouth piece for anybody.

In addition you have told people to stay away from me. That is your right but do not present yourself as the judge and jury. You are a libertian and not a Republican. Tim, everything that you do is a reflection of the inner man.
That goes for politics, drugs, whatever.

All people justify what they do. That includes me and you and Kathy and Mike and everybody. I expect the Republican Party to be a party of principles, truth and openness not one that will go behind someone's back and make comments like you have done about me or Chad.

The Republican Party, at it's worst is the best choice today to get equality in Buncombe County.

If the Republican Party becomes a select party of people that feel better and superior because they are self described intellectuals, they are no better or worse than any other party... I want better."

Nothing like a public pissing match to get folks excited about politics, eh? It looks like the drug liberalizing, xenophobic Tim Peck wing of the Republican Party won the day and the anti-intellectual, John Armor loving Don Yelton Republicans held on to some sort of utopian self-regard.

The Buncombe County Democrats will get together for their convention on April 14th, and I wonder what sorts of fireworks we'll see there.

Shuler on Rove hitlist

2007-03-28T21:52:00.000-05:00

From TPM Cafe Here's the pdf.

2008 House Targets: Top 20:
Nick Lampson, Texas
Tim Mahoney, Florida
Jerry McNerney, California
Zack Space, Ohio
Baron Hill, Indiana
Chris Carney, Pennsylvania
Patrick Murphy, Pennsylvania
Nancy Boyda, Kansas
Joe Sestak, Pennsylvania
Brad Ellsworth, Indiana
Heath Shuler, North Carolina
Ciro Rodriguez, Texas
Steve Kagen, Wisconsin
Jim Marshall, Georgia
Joe Donnelly, Indiana
John Barrow, Georgia
Jason Altmire, Pennsylvania
John Hall, New York
Kirsten Gillibrand, New York
Stephanie Herseth, South Dakota

There are powerpoint slides discussed in this video:

Top 20? Target? Heath and Karl Rove? Isn't that good fodder for some ass kickin' photoshop work, guys? Have at it! I can't wait.

Shuler, Foxx Want You To Pray For America

2007-03-28T20:41:00.000-05:00

Despite the fact that I have a copy of the press release in front of me, I can't think of a more appropriate place to read a story like this than the Hendersonville Times-News (warning: they have pop-up advertisements now):

U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C., will join a bipartisan group of members of Congress in calling America back to prayer today at noon on the West Steps of the Capitol.

At the press conference, members of Congress will speak about the power of prayer and encourage people to sign up to pray for the nation for five minutes each week, according to a press release from Shuler’s office.

Shuler, Rep. Virginia Foxx, Rep. Robin Hayes, Rep. Walter Jones, and Rep. Mike McIntyre along with more than 30 members from 19 states will participate in the press conference.

Hell yeah! Way to bring those Mountain Values to Washington, Congressman! You had to do something to appease the conservatives in the 11th District after your vote on the Iraq supplemental spending bill drew the ire of right wing lobbyist groups and had thousands of AM radio listeners frothing at the mouth and quoting Rush Limbaugh all week long...

Hey, wait a minute! Where was Patrick McHenry when all of this was happening? Why didn't Patrick McHenry, a man who rode bareback on the votes of evangelicals to gain his ineffectual and highly ridiculed seat in Congress, show his support? Was he busy doing all those dirty, dirty things that the Book of Leviticus warns against, like eating shrimp and wearing poly-cotton slacks? Congressman McHenry, why do you hate Jesus? Why do you hate America?

Seriously, I don't give a shit about why Patrick McHenry didn't show up for this thing. A lot of people didn't. 30-odd Representatives really isn't that many. The thing that had me scratching my head was the appearance of Shuler's 5th District counterpart, Virginia Foxx.

Think back to the summer of 2005 for a second, when Rep. Foxx issued this statement:

My thoughts and prayers are with those who suffered through Hurricane Katrina and are continuing to suffer through its aftermath. I especially pray for those who have lost loved ones and hope they can find some comfort in this time of distress.

Yeah, she offered thoughts and prayers, but that's about all she was willing to offer. Remember, she was one of the eleven "compassionate conservatives" that voted against the Katrina Aid Bill. Now, coming hot on the heels of the deadline-fortified Iraq Supplemental, Foxx shows up on the West Steps (which, incidentally, face the mostly white part of Washington, DC) and urges her constituents and her country to pray for America. One would presume that this would also include praying for the troops, which is fine. But when it comes from someone like Foxx, a lawmaker who was given a "D" rating by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America... I'm sorry. I can't take empty posturing and grandstanding very seriously for too long without feeling like I need to take a shower.

Call me a cynical bastard, but don't you think that if prayer alone would get our troops out of the middle of an insurgency, out of the middle of a full-on theological civil war... that they'd be home by now?

ALERT: McHenry on WWNC at 4:30 to blast Shuler

2007-03-28T14:22:00.000-05:00

Heath needs your help right now.

Pat McHenry's on WWNC's Matt Mittan show at 4:30 so dial up 828-240-9962 or 800-570-9962 to say how great Heath has been on raising minimum wages and lowering small bidness taxes.

Call well in advance to be sure to get to speak.

And it would be a bonus if you wanted to rag on my wonderful representative, Pat McDweeb. Ask why he wrote legislation to make it easier for credit unions to become banks when his district has more credit union members (the working class and retirees) than any other district in the country. Ask how he can care about his constituents when he's in bed with the banking industry?

Ask him about his stand on the Navy's proposed Outlying Landing Field in Washington County. The Property Rights people gave him a rating of 100 and think he's against it but every time I call his office they act like he doesn't know enough (i.e. he's waiting to see which way the wind blows. I guess the pilots have to be dead in a $57 million crash before he takes a stand.)

Ask how he can talk about the evils of Washington when he gets all his campaign monies through his buddies Karl Rove and Tom Delay? Ask how he liked getting dope-slapped by Barney Frank and John Murtha.

Ask him how it feels to be so outclassed by a freshman jock with more integrity in his fingernails that Pat will ever have in his black shriveled heart.

Can't you just picture the two of them together? What a riot.

And let me know how it goes. The whole event is a no-go for me logistically. Boo hoo.

Soon To Be Renamed Asheville Hooligan-Times

2007-03-28T10:32:00.000-05:00

The AC-T printed a guest commentary written by my alter ego.

The End of the Road to Nowhere

2007-03-28T09:39:00.000-05:00

Hot on the heels of his historic Iraq War vote, Congressman Heath Shuler is putting an end to one of the porkiest projects ever to emerge from Charles Taylor's career. The Road to Nowhere was promised to residents of Swain county back in 1943, and Taylor decided the $600 million road would be a great way to reward his cronies with fat contracts. However, few residents of Swain county want the road, and western North Carolina citizens have been pleading for years for the government to instead settle the promise with a $52 million payoff.

Heath Shuler vowed to kill the project, and today he's holding a press conference at 1pm to announce just that. From the press release:

"Congressman Heath Shuler (D-NC) will join Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and members of the North Carolina and Tennessee House and Senate delegations at a press conference on Wednesday to release a joint letter to the Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne calling for an end to "Road to Nowhere" and a cash settlement for Swain County, North Carolina."

Good work, Congressman. The hits just keep on comin'. Shuler's fundraising in these last few days before the March 31st FEC filing deadline, so drop him a few bucks if you like the way he's been voting.

Bush Republicans Scramble For the Exits

2007-03-28T09:26:00.000-05:00

The Poor Man Institute via Atrios:

"The difference between then and now is that then, Bush was strong and he had a loyal Republican Congress, and now he’s not and he doesn’t, and these two things are not unrelated. Fifteen months ago that nauseating little bitch Lindsey Graham was primarily concerned with making sure that Leader had the right to revoke habeus habeas corpus whenever he felt like it; now, he’s troubled that the President didn’t follow the usual protocol in replacing some civil servants. Furrow your brow, Lindsey! Furrow it with sincere concern for everyone to see! Because you can read the polls as well as anyone, and you know that anyone who sticks by Bush these days is fucked."

Too right.

Bill Richardson on Daily Show Tonight

2007-03-28T08:26:00.000-05:00

Worth Watching.

Buncombe County Republicans for Taylor

2007-03-27T23:03:00.000-05:00

The following resolution was adopted at the Buncombe County Republican Party Convention on March 10, 2007:

Whereas Congressman Charles Taylor served the 11th Congressional District ably, well and with distinction for 16 years; and

Whereas he is a man of character with true family values; and

Whereas during his eight terms in Congress he helped his district and his country in many ways; and

Whereas his successor has failed to represent his district in many ways and has voted for the most liberal of Democrats, Nancy Pelosi, as Speaker of the House;

We express our deep gratitude to Charles Taylor and to his caring and capable staff, and express the will of this convention that Mr. Taylor is strongly urged to consider future public service to the citizens of Western North Carolina.

If these are the leading Republicans in Buncombe County, then we can be assured (1) They all wanted to plant one more slobbery kiss on Charles Taylor's flaccid buttocks; (2) They are oblivious to chicanery; (3) They really don't mind losing again as long as they've got The Lump. The most fabulously ironic thing is that they passed the Taylor resolution just after passing a resolution creating the "John Rhodes Society of Honest Politicians".

Pure. Comedy. Gold.