Barefoot and Progressive

Grayson/Paul poo flinging

2009-11-27T17:21:00.003-05:00

“The celebrity factor is what is attracting people now,” said Mr. Grayson, who was a lawyer before being elected secretary of state in 2003. “Mr. Paul has his dad’s following and his dad’s e-mail list, and he has shown he can raise money outside the state.”

But before long, Mr. Grayson said, voters will see that Dr. Paul’s views are out of step with this state’s values.

“Mr. Paul believes we should close Guantánamo and return those terrorists to Afghanistan; Kentucky voters would not agree,” he said. “Mr. Paul believes federal authorities should not have a role in drug enforcement, but Kentucky voters know we have a drug problem here in the state, and they certainly would disagree with that, too.”

*****

“When voters really start paying attention,” Mr. Grayson said, “they’re going to find out that one candidate is getting 90 percent from Kentucky and the other is getting 80 percent of his money from out of state. And that is not going to sit well with them.”

Rand Paul:

“The NRSC will not endorse in the primary, and I think most Kentuckians will welcome the fact that they’ll be able to make their decision on the merits of the candidates and not on undue outside influence,” Paul, a Bowling Green ophthalmologist, said in an interview.

Paul said he believed the committee was “hedging its bets” because it no longer believes that Secretary of State Trey Grayson is the odds-on favorite to win.

NRSC:

“Randy did speak with Mr. Paul,” Walsh said. “But what Mr. Paul told you was not entirely accurate. What Randy told him was that the NRSC does not anticipate making any endorsements in the race but that we reserve the right to do so.”

*****

“It means we do need to be a little more careful in discerning the Paul campaign’s motives, however,” he said.

Popcorn. Stock. Up. On. It.

The invisible unicorn hoof of the market greets rural Kentucky

2009-11-27T15:44:00.003-05:00

Middlesboro and Clinton, KY: Meet the good folks at AIG.

Here is how the AIG takeover went down: In 2005, flush with cash from its shady dealings in the mortgage derivatives market, AIG announced that it was in the process of acquiring Utilities Inc., a holding company that controlled scores of small water utilities across 17 different states. With just 300,000 customers, the company wasn't huge, but it boasted of being the largest privately held water utility in the country.

"We have long considered water infrastructure as an attractive investment opportunity and an excellent complement to [our] existing energy infrastructure portfolio. Utilities Inc. is a leader in this industry and we are pleased that [we have] the opportunity to acquire this business,” AIG Chairman and CEO Win J. Neuger gloated in a press release.

AIG had reason to be pleased with its purchase. Water utilities are one hell of a profitable business, with international corporations easily making a 20 to 30% profit margin, according to a 2007 report by Food and Water Watch. In the US, federal regulations limit profits to 10%, a pesky rule that companies easily subvert by shuffling their income around and “investing” it in side businesses. These kinds of returns would be the envy of the pharmaceutical and oil industries. How do water companies do it? According to Food and Water Watch, they charge 50% more for services than public utilities and pocket the difference, thereby unleashing the potential of the free market.

People who have been ripped off by bailed-out banks' schemes to trick late fees out of their customers will recognize what Utilities Inc. did to the people of Middlesboro and Clinton. In the summer of 2008, as AIG was teetering and desperate for funds, it "upgraded" its billing system, and suddenly a slew of late fee charges hit the struggling locals.

******

In November 2008, right as AIG was recieving the second installment of its bailout and the economy was in a free-fall, AIG's water utility notified Middlesbro and Clinton residents that it would be raising rates by 51%. It would mean more than $750,000 in additional revenue a year, just from 8,000 customers. The money wouldn't be used to fund infrastructure improvements—none had been made and none were planned. No, according to a company spokesman, the utility was trying to recoup money it had invested in its "improved" billing system, in effect forcing the victims of the billing system to pay for their own fleecing.

Marvelous. But that's when the jack booted government tyrants came in and tried to tell our private entrepreneurs how to run their business.

In the end, Kentucky's regulatory commission reduced the water rate increase from 50.1% to 30%.

You see, it's that kind of government intrusion into our private lives by "regulators" thats ruining the quality of life in rural Kentucky. Almost as much all of that "welfare" that poor citizens receive. If our Stalinist overlords just left them alone, they'd learn the proper bootstrap-pulling skills that would bring them hordes of collectible gold trinkets.

At least Bush and his bipartisan company didn't dare put any "conditions" on AIG when we gave those good folks all of our money last year.

Newt's Nook

2009-11-27T13:41:00.002-05:00

Newt Gingrich: Lover of Pitbulls and Titties on da grillz.

A North Texas shelter for pit bulls has opened this week, thanks to a Dallas topless club owner's contribution after Newt Gingrich's conservative group snubbed her donation.

The former U.S. House speaker's political organization was set to give Dawn Rizos an "Entrepreneur of the Year" award last month. But the group reneged, saying it had mistaken her business for another. Rizos, who owns the Dallas topless club The Lodge, was refunded the $5,000 fee required to receive the award.

Disappointed, Rizos says she decided to "make something positive out of his bad manners."

She redirected the money to Animal Guardians of America's sanctuary for rescued dogs in Celina, about 35 miles north of Dallas.

Gingrich didn't attend the opening of "Newt's Nook — A Home for Pit Bulls."

Real America

2009-11-27T13:32:00.003-05:00

Wowzers.

Turkey Day from the Central Time Zone

2009-11-27T00:27:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow, I'll not be toiling for deals, and I hope you'll do the same.

Renee wonders what we're really giving thanks for.

Gobble gobble.

Thursday Afternoon Tryptophan Break

2009-11-26T17:30:00.004-05:00

Here's a bunch of old white people listening to somebody rap about the Bible.

Not bad, but nowhere near as good as my Side-Huggin Homies for Christ

The question that anti-choicers refuse to answer

2009-11-25T16:06:00.004-05:00

And the question that Chris Matthews (Chris Matthews?!?) refuses to let them avoid.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

This is the issue: you either want women in jail for murder, or you want it to be legal. Or, you want it to be illegal like jaywalking is illegal, in which case you can please stop calling it "murder" and "baby killing", mkay?

Bishops like this guy don't have the guts to answer Chris's question.

Never Forget

2009-11-25T15:14:00.001-05:00

Unless it can help you politically.

Real Americans

2009-11-25T14:53:00.000-05:00

Yoooooou betcha!

You Don't Get No Cookie

2009-11-25T13:47:00.001-05:00

Thanksgiving Prayer By: William S. Burroughs

The Purity Test

2009-11-25T12:47:00.003-05:00

Michael Steele all bout it, bout it:

Yesterday, Republican National Committee member Jim Bopp unveiled a resolution to deny funding of candidates who do not uphold right-wing conservative values. The resolution, termed a “purity test,” is being touted as a mechanism for actually avoiding the party schism that occurred in the NY-23 special election, when the Republican Party nominated a moderate who violated several of the resolution dictates.

I think this is great. They should have elephant themed purity rings that are given to them at purity balls by their top industry campaign donor. And no front-huggin, there.

Let the slut-shaming commence.

Please Redirect Your Comments to This Post

2009-11-24T17:39:00.003-05:00

Or: Wingnuts breathe a collective sigh of relief as U.S. Census worker Bill Sparkman's death is ruled a suicide. To wit, I oppose the death penalty, even for theoretical murderers of federal employees.

Though I am sure this news is both shocking and unbearable for Mr. Sparkman's surviving friends and family, I hope that having closure enables them to deal with their grief in some way.

Better Democrats

2009-11-24T14:50:00.005-05:00

Louisville has chosen Democrat Tom Riner to be their State Representative since 1982. Despite the fact that he's a complete nutjob who is responsible for these wonderful amendments that we all know and love:

One required that training materials include information that the General Assembly stressed a "dependence on Almighty God as being vital to the security of the Commonwealth." The other required a plaque to be placed at the entrance to the state's Emergency Operations Center in Frankfort that said, in part, "the safety and security of the Commonwealth cannot be achieved apart from reliance upon Almighty God."

And this genius:

"They make the argument ... that it has to do with a religion," Riner said, "and promoting a religion. God is not a religion. God is God." ... "This is no small matter, the understanding that God is real," he said. "There are real benefits to acknowledging Him."

Well, he finally has a real challenger next year. From someone who actually proudly calls himself a "progressive voice" for his district (something another Louisville politician we know would never ever do, because that is something to be ashamed of).

Check out Mike Slaton.

And speaking of getting rid of worthless, embarrassing Democrats: WHO IS GOING TO RUN AGAINST JIM GOOCH???

Somebody please fill me in...

Rand is confused

2009-11-24T14:00:00.002-05:00

Sure, about whether states manage Medicaid. But why is he calling for the continuation of this EVIL COMMUNIST ENTITLEMENT PROGRAM FOR POOR LAZY PEOPLE?!? I thought he was going to get rid of it and Medicare and Social Security, just like a true White Male Liberty Patriot would do?

Oh, this too:

“The same people who are now telling us bailouts and clunker car programs will save the economy were also wrong back in 1996 when they said welfare reform would increase poverty,” Rand Paul said.

Mmm hmm.

1996 # in poverty: 36 million
2008 # in poverty: 39.8 million

And clunkers was such a gigantic failure.

Very confused.

Jack Conway wants to kill people

2009-11-23T16:46:00.003-05:00

How very tough of him.

Kentucky Attorney General and (U.S. Senate candidate) Jack Conway requested three death warrants this morning. The figure would double the number of citizens the commonwealth has executed since the death penalty was re-established in 1976.

Conway’s request to Gov. Steve Beshear to set execution dates for three death row inmates comes just two weeks after the Louisville Courier-Journal ran a series of articles and editorials about the ineffectiveness of Kentucky’s death row system.

According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, “Conway said in a statement that Ralph Baze Jr., Robert Foley and Gregory Wilson have exhausted all of their ‘matter of right’ appeals in state and federal courts.”

You know what "limited government" means to me? It means that the government doesn't murder people that are already locked away from society and can never do any harm to anyone ever again. Typically, the same people who feel that government is evil and can't do anything right won't bat an eye at them killing people.

How very weak of me...

Pro-Life Friends of Mongiardo

2009-11-23T14:02:00.003-05:00

What Jake says:

Dear Virginia Woodward and Eleanor Jordan:

Care to tell Kentucky why you - pro-choice leaders - are ardently supporting anti-choicer and hypocrite Daniel Mongiardo? Is it because you’re sell-outs or because you just had no idea he was anti-everything you stand for?

And to one of Mongiardo’s field consultants - prominent uber-liberal activist and Democratic operative: Why is it you support an anti-choice/anti-woman candidate by accepting a paycheck from him?

Excellent questions, I must say.

Good questions for "Women for Mongiardo" "State Committee" members Patsy Blevins, Milly Diehl, Ann Ellerkamp, Dr. Susan Turner, Alayne White, Diane Hancock and Sue Orth, too. From the Mongiardo release last month:

"Daniel Mongiardo has been a staunch fighter for women's health for as long as I can remember and that's one of the main reasons I'm standing with Daniel," said Blevins.

Except for certain women's health, because SSPTP.

"Daniel will stand up and fight to end health insurance practices that discriminate against women. Daniel will help Kentucky women get the healthcare they deserve," she added.

But it's OK to discriminate against "certain" women. And the 2% of counties in Kentucky that provide abortion services are 2% too many for brave men like Dan Mongiardo, and his "Women for Mongiardo" crew.

"I'm running for the U.S. Senate because I want to make sure that no woman in Kentucky or the U.S. is denied health insurance for the sole reason of her gender," Mongiardo said."

Except for "certain women", because once more, SSPTP.

I'm sure that Dan Mongiardo would love to comb through this crowd for some more Louisville supporters, too. That might be a great field activity.

Gimme Dat Christian Side Hug

2009-11-23T12:26:00.005-05:00

Cause only homos, pussies and Jews gimme dat front hug.

This is, objectively, the greatest thing ever:

Christian Side Hug from The Fathers House on Vimeo.

(h/t Buckman)

UPDATE: The wonderful Erica Sackin pulls out this lyric:

“I’m a rough rider filled with Christ love”

As I said, greatest thing EVER.

Trey Grayson and Van Jones, sitting in a tree

2009-11-23T12:06:00.002-05:00

The Paulbots have found the damning evidence that Trey Grayson is a secret treehugging Communist who once burnt American flags with Van Terruh Jones. Grayson's affiliation with Mitch "Red Commie" McConnell was enough, but now his ties with The Most Evil Person to Ever Exist has totally ended his chance of stopping the Rand Train.

I expect Trey Grayson to soon hold a press conference where he actually eats a lump of coal, drinks tap water from Whitesburg, and burns Nazi Pelosi in effigy. It is his only hope.

Ship 'em back to Europe

2009-11-23T11:34:00.000-05:00

Fun with Teabaggers. I approve this message.

"Boldness and Courage"

2009-11-21T14:00:00.002-05:00

That is what Dear Sarah says are the characteristics of those who show up to buy her book. Totes.

Must-see exhibit tonight in Lexington

2009-11-20T12:41:00.003-05:00

Richie Wireman's multi-year project about my former favorite block of Lexington (and it's destruction to make way for Dudley's Invisible Unicorn Park) is showing tonight at Bellini's Ballroom tonight during Gallery Hop from 5:30 to 9:30.

Read Schankula's ACE piece about it here.

Steve Beshear is getting stuff done!

2009-11-20T12:29:00.003-05:00

And by getting stuff done, I mean firing people for trying to stop illegal mining.

Yea.

The former head of Kentucky’s mine permit division, who was fired last week by Gov. Steve Beshear, said Tuesday that he had been trying to block what he called illegal mining permit practices.

Ron Mills said he refused to issue about a half-dozen mine permits requested over the last year, chiefly by the politically connected Alliance Resource Partners of Tulsa, Okla., because they did not comply with federal and state mining law.

Coal companies are required to provide documentation showing they have a legal right to enter and disturb all of the areas they will mine, Mills said. Instead, the Beshear administration issued permits to coal companies that demonstrate the right to enter and mine as little as two-thirds of the land in question, he said.

“I refused to sign those applications,” Mills said. “I thought they were illegal. There was no support for them under the law.”

However, Mills said, after a debate within the Beshear administration that involved the governor’s office, Natural Resources Commissioner Carl Campbell signed the permits over Mills’ objections

Mills said that he was given no official reason for his firing on Friday — as a non-merit appointee, he served at the governor’s pleasure — but colleagues told him that Alliance lobbied the governor’s office for his removal.

So it appears to me that Gov. Beshear cares about two things. Gambling, and letting King Coal do whatever they want.

I imagine Steve would wet himself if King Coal wanted to build a casino on top of a MTR site...

(but whatever you do, Steve, don't focus on this)

Where is Putin's head?

2009-11-20T12:16:00.004-05:00

Alaska, doncha know? Don't let those evil media libruls tell you otherwise, because Sarah Barracuda kept us safe from their Commie attack during her less than half-term up there.

Get all of your Going Rogue hilarity here.

Rand Paul: lying flip flopper

2009-11-20T11:26:00.003-05:00

It seems that Rand Paul, now finding himself ahead in the polls, is going to go conservative by scrubbing his "kooky" positions from the internet tubes.

Facing heat from Grayson about his Guantanamo stance (which he shared with his father), it appears that he is now scrubbing his past positions and taking the Neanderthal view that New Yorkers should not be able to try, convict and executive the pyscho fuckers who attacked their city. Gitmo is now AOK, dontcha know?

I can't wait till all of the Paul Stoners to realize that he won't advocate legalizing pot, or withdrawing all of our troops, either.

Just another fetus fetisher that wants to eliminate Medicare, Medicaid, public schools, Social Security, and let his Magic Unicorn Hoof solve all of our messy complicated problems.

Yes, we can "read" (through the lines)...

(h/t Jake)

The Onion interviews a Rand Paul supporter

2009-11-19T16:43:00.003-05:00

And he made us all proud:

Area Man Passionate Defender Of What He Imagines Constitution To Be

Spurred by an administration he believes to be guilty of numerous transgressions, self-described American patriot Kyle Mortensen, 47, is a vehement defender of ideas he seems to think are enshrined in the U.S. Constitution and principles that brave men have fought and died for solely in his head.

"Our very way of life is under siege," said Mortensen, whose understanding of the Constitution derives not from a close reading of the document but from talk-show pundits, books by television personalities, and the limitless expanse of his own colorful imagination. "It's time for true Americans to stand up and protect the values that make us who we are."

*****

"Right there in the preamble, the authors make their priorities clear: 'one nation under God,'" said Mortensen, attributing to the Constitution a line from the Pledge of Allegiance, which itself did not include any reference to a deity until 1954. "Well, there's a reason they put that right at the top."

*****

Mortensen said his admiration for the loose assemblage of vague half-notions he calls the Constitution has only grown over time. He believes that each detail he has pulled from thin air—from prohibitions on sodomy and flag-burning, to mandatory crackdowns on immigrants, to the right of citizens not to have their hard-earned income confiscated in the form of taxes—has contributed to making it the best framework for governance "since the Ten Commandments."

"And let's not forget that when the Constitution was ratified it brought freedom to every single American," Mortensen said.

Mortensen's passion for safeguarding the elaborate fantasy world in which his conception of the Constitution resides is greatly respected by his likeminded friends and relatives, many of whom have been known to repeat his unfounded assertions verbatim when angered. Still, some friends and family members remain critical.

"Dad's great, but listening to all that talk radio has put some weird ideas into his head," said daughter Samantha, a freshman at Reed College in Portland, OR. "He believes the Constitution allows the government to torture people and ban gay marriage, yet he doesn't even know that it guarantees universal health care."

Mortensen told reporters that he'll fight until the bitter end for what he roughly supposes the Constitution to be. He acknowledged, however, that it might already be too late to win the battle.

"The freedoms our Founding Fathers spilled their blood for are vanishing before our eyes," Mortensen said. "In under a year, a fascist, socialist regime has turned a proud democracy into a totalitarian state that will soon control every facet of American life."