This weekly diary takes a look at the past week's important news stories from the perspective of our leading editorial cartoonists (including a few foreign ones) with analysis and commentary added in by me.
When evaluating a cartoon, ask yourself these questions:
1. Does a cartoon add to my existing knowledge base and help crystallize my thinking about the issue depicted?
2. Does the cartoonist have any obvious biases that distort reality?
3. Is the cartoonist reflecting prevailing public opinion or trying to shape it?
The answers will help determine the effectiveness of the cartoonist's message.
:: ::
Chris Britt, Comics.com, see reader comments in the State Journal-Register
Crossposted at Daily Kos. If you choose to recommend it there, the Rec Button may have been pushed to the bottom after the last diary comment made.
THE WEEK IN EDITORIAL CARTOONS
This weekly diary takes a look at the past week's important news stories from the perspective of our leading editorial cartoonists (including a few foreign ones) with analysis and commentary added in by me.
When evaluating a cartoon, ask yourself these questions:
1. Does a cartoon add to my existing knowledge base and help crystallize my thinking about the issue depicted?
2. Does the cartoonist have any obvious biases that distort reality?
3. Is the cartoonist reflecting prevailing public opinion or trying to shape it?
The answers will help determine the effectiveness of the cartoonist's message.
:: ::
Chris Britt, see reader comments in the State Journal-Register (Springfield, IL)
Republicans generally strongly (but hardly unanimously) dislike socialism, labor, immigrants, gays, abortion; and deeply love Christ and the death penalty (Ironic, love is). On other issues, their uncertainty increases.
Hardcore wingnuts are frequently the anus within the larger Republican ass, taking up around a third of the party. While that is indeed large for an anus, what is it, about 15% of the country's entire population? Hardly representative of the country as a whole, and entirely over-represented in the media, but I guess we knew that also.
Men are slightly, but consistently wingnuttier than women; Southerners are significantly and consistently wingnuttier that non-Southerners; whites are significantly and consistently wingnuttier than non-whites; age-related differences in wingnuttiness do not stand out, except for some slightly, but consistently greater tolerance of sex and reproductive issues in younger groups (Both innovation and sex are typically more youthful phenomena).
Real Wingnuts: whiter, Southerner, maler, somewhat older, and secessionister. Old wounds, dawg.
***
Wingnut political mobilization is little more than a clamorous alarm call spread by contagion, a primitive but effective hue and cry common to many animal species. The over-representation of wingnut memes in the media is a huge problem. However, that alarm call potentially cries in all directions. A lot of Republicans appear to be significantly less immoderate and more uncertain than their hardcore base on many issues. If anyone could ever sit them down to explain, for example, what Medicare, Social Security and socialism are, and who is really trying to steal it or privatize it, that would be meaningful.
I hope a subsequent poll asks some specific questions about these safety net issues, plus some further things about their beliefs on capitalism, free markets, small businesses, monopolies, bank bailouts, government-controlled mortgage industries, etc.
I'm sure most of you have seen this. It's a billboard sponsored by an as-yet unnamed businessman in Missouri. Perhaps you've seen some of the others highlighted in this diary at Orange too.
I find it incredibly offensive, but only because it's coming from the WingNut faction. I figure if the government targeted in these public advertisements actually cared to enforce the law against sedition then they'll do so before tomorrow morning. If not then it's open season and somebody up there approves. I mean, it's not like the feds don't know who paid for it, whose company billboard it's sitting on, and even who designed and printed it out and pasted it up. That's what all this post 9-11 spying on Americans is all about, isn't it? And the WingNuts love them some NSA spies rooting around in their email, business dealings, bank accounts and cell phone conversations. Or, they did when Shrubbie was POTUS, since he started it.
Which brings me to what is offensive here. It's coming from those who served as tireless cheerleaders for wars of aggression in Iraq and Afghanistan, for the blanket abrogation of Constitutional and human rights here at home, for war crimes, the rendition and torture of prisoners of war in blatant violation of Geneva, for limitless government spying on innocent citizens and, finally, for the unaccountable billions and/or trillions printed to bail out Wall Street, the banking sector and even the Fed itself when the IMF began its long overdue audit of America's books on The Day The Economy Fell. All the while unconcerned about trillions in deficit spending to support not just those illegal wars and the largest expansion of Big Brother in our history, championing Greed Gone Wild that brought this nation and the rest of the world to its knees.
Back in August, barely 2 months ago, Senator Hatch (R-UT), displayed a graciousness and a spirit of bipartisanship, rarely seen among the Party of NO.
Senator Orrin Hatch on Ted Kennedy's Life The Situation Room -- Aug 26, 2009
BLITZER: [...] the issue that was the most important to him, health care for the American people, you were -- you're a member of the Finance Committee. [...] And since this was so important to your good friend, Senator Kennedy, I'll ask you directly, Senator Hatch -- are you willing to get back into those negotiations with the Democrats right now in memory -- in honor of Senator Kennedy?
You know how important health care reform was for your friend.
Crossposted at Daily Kos. Look in the Comments Section of Daily Kos for more cartoons on the economy and sports. Somehow, I couldn't fit them in the main text of the diary.
THE WEEK IN EDITORIAL CARTOONS
This weekly diary takes a look at the past week's important news stories from the perspective of our leading editorial cartoonists (including a few foreign ones) with analysis and commentary added in by me.
When evaluating a cartoon, ask yourself these questions:
1. Does a cartoon add to my existing knowledge base and help crystallize my thinking about the issue depicted?
2. Does the cartoonist have any obvious biases that distort reality?
3. Is the cartoonist reflecting prevailing public opinion or trying to shape it?
The answers will help determine the effectiveness of the cartoonist's message.
This weekly diary takes a look at the past week's important news stories from the perspective of our leading editorial cartoonists (including a few foreign ones) with analysis and commentary added in by me.
When evaluating a cartoon, ask yourself these questions:
1. Does a cartoon add to my existing knowledge base and help crystallize my thinking about the issue depicted?
2. Does the cartoonist have any obvious biases that distort reality?
3. Is the cartoonist reflecting prevailing public opinion or trying to shape it?
The answers will help determine the effectiveness of the cartoonist's message.
This essay is one my hubby (who is out of town performing at a festival this weekend) and I put together about our notorious local City Council race and a situation getting way too much WingNut attention. I am posting it where he says it should be posted. I'm posting it here too because this is where I hang out!
________
Carl Mumpower: a Danger to the Citizens He Claims to Serve
You'd think a fairly routine City Council race in a smallish city (~75,000 not counting tourists) in the sticks of Southern Appalachia would be off the radar screens of just about everybody else in the country. But alas, not so. One of the incumbents, a certain Carl Mumpower, has been busy making a claim for WingNut fame and fortune by egging on militia-style death threats against local schoolchildren and teachers. Mumpower is a hero of Teabaggers and hate-radio bloviators like Rush Limbaugh. So of course his more colorful antics this time around are getting national attention.
The latest is about a YouTube video showing a one-minute clip of students at a local elementary school participating in a 26-minute performance last February about famous Americans, and celebrating the election of the nation's first African-American President. While that program fully accorded with the North Carolina educational curriculum per teaching about civic leadership, American heroes, good citizenship, diverse cultures and such, the clip has led to some nasty charges and ramifications.
According to the Asheville Citizen-Times area resident Loren Lanter posted the clip to YouTube in late September, where it was picked up by national media and Rush Limbaugh as evidence of indoctrination in public schools. Limbaugh's old buddy Carl could of course be counted upon to exploit the situation to his dubious advantage. Mumpower announced:
"...That is ritual behavior and that's how you plug things into kids' heads. I'll come right out and say it. That's exactly how the Hitler youth were programmed prior to World War II."
This weekly diary takes a look at the past week's important news stories from the perspective of our leading editorial cartoonists (including a few foreign ones) with analysis and commentary added in by me.
When evaluating a cartoon, ask yourself these questions:
1. Does a cartoon add to my existing knowledge base and help crystallize my thinking about the issue depicted?
2. Does the cartoonist have any obvious biases that distort reality?
3. Is the cartoonist reflecting prevailing public opinion or trying to shape it?
The answers will help determine the effectiveness of the cartoonist's message.
:: ::
Mahmoud, Hugo, and Muammar... Meet Rush, Glenn, and Sean Pat Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune
Only three of the 763 "sneak-and-peek" requests in fiscal year 2008 involved terrorism cases, according to a July 2009 report from the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. Sixty-five percent were drug cases.
The following video has been obtained by the MinistryOfTruth from an unconfirmed Republican party source that shall remain anonymous. In order to obtain this highly secret information, the MinistryOfTruth has been forced to do things no MinistryOfTruth should ever have to do.
Guard this information and use it well.
WARNING: Only those with Stupid RW MEME proof socialist issued protective goggles should view the following movies! VERY IMPORTANT!!!
To be played at American schools that refuse to air the socialist indoctrination speech of Hussein Obama
ThehippiesWingnuts, who had neverreally believed they were the wave of the future anyway, saw the election results as brutal confirmation of the futility of fighting the establishment on its own termsby stealing elections and voter suppression.
There had to be a whole new scene, they said, and the only way to do it was to make the big move - either figuratively or literally -
from
Berkeley to the Haight-Ashburycognitive dissonance to sheer lunacy, from pragmatism to mysticism, from politicspropaganda todope violence...
The thrust is no longer for
"changeobscene wealth" or "progress retrogression" or "revolutionblind obedience," but merely to escape enslave, to live on the farfar right perimeter of a world thatmight have beenthey do not understand. .
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Crazy Matt Barber of the Liberty Council is at it again! Somehow the Dog wound up on Mr. Barbers radar and is now subjected to weekly spamming. Since Mr. Barber e-mails these to the Dog, there is no question of being able to reproduce the whole thing and then show exactly how bat-shit crazy Mr. Barbers points of view are. As a glimpse into the deranged mind of the deranged Right, serves two purposes; first to know what our opponents are saying to each other and second it gives the Dog a chance to mercilessly mock this mouth-breathing race and sexuality baiting asshat.
First the "War on Christmas," now the dastardly "War on 9/11." Will the hard left never cease its evil crusades?
In April, President Obama signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which includes federal authorization "to establish September 11 as an annually recognized National Day of Service and Remembrance." This is an effort led by 9/11 family members and others to encourage volunteerism, such as assistance at food banks.
The right has gone apeshit over this, labeling it as a "desecration" of 9/11. As brilliantly analyzed by Sadly No, Ted Kennedy's Serve America Act is yet another "hard left" "war" on a national holiday, making it.
. . . Obama's vilest plot yet, his plot against September 11, the day on which no other subject is to be discussed and on which all Americans are supposed to be dressed in the blackest of crepe bathed in the bitterest of tears.
Sadly, No captures the sinister essence of this evil War on Rudy G.'s favorite day of the year:
According to Matthew, if Obama has his way, September 11 would be renamed "tarehe kumi na moja mwezi wa tisa," which is Swahili for September 11 and which no ordinary American can ever remember, much less pronounce. School children will no longer be allowed to sing 9-11 songs at their 9-11 pageants, but will instead be forced to sing socialist stuff like "This Land is My Land," "L'Internationale" (in French!!! ) and "Big Yellow Taxi."
Yes, God Forbid that 9/11 should be remembered as 9/11 families wish, by helping those less fortunate and other public service.
The Spectator's Vadum makes a wonderful (Freudian?) slip, however, when he writes:
The plan is to turn a "day of fear" that helps Republicans into a day of activism called the National Day of Service that helps the left. In other words, nihilistic liberals are planning to drain 9/11 of all meaning.
Nice to see a winger admit that 9/11 is a "day of fear" that helps Republicans!
Of course, the Spectator commenters are a bit less subtle than Matthew, including one who wittily contributes the following:
So, basically, he's turning Sept. 11 in to National Radical Negro Day.
Hail Nero! Hail Caligula! Heil Hitler!
This guy is gonna make REAL AMERICANS - (You heard me) - REAL AMERICANS, Americans who LOVE this country, rise up. You thought that there could never be another Revolution? This THING in the White House is TRYING to destroy this country. This is gonna get ugly. Mark My Words.
Couldn't have said it better myself. To completely round it out, add something about death panels, OK?
Sociologists representing four major research institutions have published a study in the journal Sociological Inquiry examining how we support our false beliefs. They examined the false belief of many voters during the 2004 general election that Saddam Hussein was responsible for the Saudi/Al Queda attacks on September 11, 2001.
These researchers concluded that the false beliefs were not caused by lies told repeatedly by the Bush Administration, the New York Times, WaPo, FoxNews and assorted other mainstream media in print, broadcast, cable and radio, but reflected a mere quirk of the individuals' own personal need to justify a war that was already being waged. Is this yet another example of dishonest publicly funded research, bought by historical revisionists instead of Big Pharma this time?
The researchers named their study "There Must Be a Reason: Osama, Saddam and Inferred Justification," and claim that their findings offer a serious challenge to democracy. The inference from that claim being, of course, that regular people are just too damned stupid and dishonest with themselves to justify letting them vote. Wow.
While it is a trivial observation that people tend to believe what they want to believe, and seek out information sources that support and/or confirm their already-held beliefs, I am certainly not convinced that Ph.D. sociologists should have so pointedly ignored the facts in this particular case of "What's Wrong With WingNuts?" It was the Bush-Cheney administration that invented the lies, started the war, and was backed up in that false propaganda effort by the mainstream media establishment. Seems like giving political liars and media propagandists a free pass on misleading the public does serious damage to the credibility of erstwhile social science research!
The facebook group is administrated by Troy Conrad, who anyone who knows how to use teh google can quickly learn is a comedian, and apparently quite talented as well.
Crossposted at [http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/8/9/151935/4860 Daily Kos}
Change Vs NOOOO!!!
This is my personal account of Saturday's town hall with Representative Scott Murphy.
I have met the wingnuts and looked into their eyes, and they are very scared, badly misinformed, angry, and dumb as hell.
Early on the screamers tried to troll out the event. Representative Scott Murphy (D-NY20) answered back with a line that sums up the whole argument when he said
"When we are done people can tell me what they hate."
I have broken this diary up into four sections, including a breakdown of Congressmen Murphy's conversations with the public and his stance on Health Care reform, as well as pictures from the event, the lobbyists role in all of this, and a statement on the need to throw bipartisanship overboard from now on.
Having engaged the GOP base firsthand, I can easily state that these are the dumbest people in the country.
The adage that one learns something new everyday is certainly fairly close to the truth especially when one applies it to Americas Society of Wingnuts. So put on your MOP gear (chemical protection suit) and let's see what the Wingnuts have taught us.
Reform Immigration -
March on Washington
Hunter S. Thompson revised 2009
