Two-Faced Fast Food

Back in 2012, I wrote a post about various reactions to President Obama's reelection: Distasteful Citizenry (11/09/12).

Included in the post was mention of certain fast food chains that became involved in the negative mix. In particular, the super-rich Papa John's founder who tried to blame the onset of Obamacare as the reason he could only insure one in three workers.

However, pizza man is now selling one of his Utah condos for $17.9 million.

• Papa John's founder lists ski home for $17.99 million making it the most expensive condo ever listed in Utah

Am I the only one to see the hypocrisy? I don't think so. Some of the comments following the Daily Mail article read as follows:

• His pizza is a degradation to pizza. This is the guy who cut employees hours so he wouldn't have to provide healthcare. Typical right winger. A GREEDY JOKE! (Orlando, Florida).
• I hear he has to sell so he can afford the ACA mandate for his subordinates. People, don't buy pizza from the chains. Support your mom and pops or make it yourself. Pizza doesn't cost $20!!!! (Albuquerque, NM).
• My guess is he doesn't eat his own pizza if his properties look like that... (California).
• Bottom line is this: he doesn't make a single dollar without all the workers slaving away for min wage and tips in his Pizzerias and driving to make deliveries 24/7. I am all for making good money, but this is just gross American mega consumption at its worst. They should all go on strike. (Boston).
• You know what's funny - their pizza SUCKS! Who buys that garbage? (Boston).

I quite agree…

Right-Wing Diatribe

This is so utterly tiresome…

Does the right-wing think if they repeat the word BENGHAZI often enough it will in itself create a scandal? Come on, already!

• Embassy Staff Undercut Whistleblower Testimony on Benghazi

Where was GOP outrage when Bush lied in order to engage the war in Iraq, where more than 4,000 Americans were killed? Another sticky point they have conveniently forgotten is their partisan blockage of increasing funds for security in American embassies.

While right-wing "action" in Congress is pathetic yet typically hypocritical, their obvious attempts to point scandal in Hillary Clinton's direction merely shows their deep fear she will wipe the floor with them if she decides to run for president in 2016.

In essence, the GOP has no credible alternatives. Chris Christie might have a chance in 2016, but not if he's pitted against Hillary Clinton.

Differing Definitions

It's all how you look at it…

Most people on food stamps would rather not be doing so. Does the right-wing honestly think people enjoy the loss of dignity and self-respect?

I've been in both places, so I already know the answer. However, it's the complete lack of humanity from the so-called Christian right-wing that churns my disgust the most.

Mixed Bag

One of the major drawbacks of the GOP is their tendency to label those who don't think or believe as they do as "un-American." More than once on the campaign trail, Romney spoke of "taking America back." Take America back from whom? Other Americans who just happened to disagree with his vision for our country? We're not true Americans because we didn't buy into his whitewash?

Narrow-minded lack of inclusion from the right is a huge turnoff. Extreme social positions aren't helpful, either. I understand they are pro-choice, but please don't force those views down my throat, thank you. All they have to do is stay away from abortion clinics and allow others to make their own choices.

When I skim online articles, I often read comments left by other readers. The hateful rhetoric is simply astounding. Seething resentment seems to be the norm, which was in evidence long before the presidential election took place. It's difficult to imagine a sane person shooting off such vitriolic drivel.

As for pundits on television, the over-used phrases during the election season I hope to never hear again are "double-down" or when someone peppers their commentary with "at the end of the day…"

And if it comes down to this, I say good riddance:

• 20 states demand to secede after Obama won election

The various states need at least 25,000 signatures before their petitions can be submitted to the Obama administration for consideration. However, their ludicrous intent simply verifies right-wing irrationality and state of denial.

Dim Penchants

Idiocy runs in the family:

• Tagg Romney wanted to "take a swing" at Obama during debate

I don't mean to be petty and churlish, but the statement gives credence to the phrase "idiot son like idiot father." If the unthinkable happens and Romney is elected, he'll deserve just as much respect and deference as he and his right-wing nut pals have always given to President Obama – which is absolutely zero. Because of their deranged slurs and latent racist agenda, Republicans have tainted the sacrosanct respect due the President of the United States whether one agrees with his policies or not. They opened the proverbial door, so they shouldn't expect anything different for one of their own – if that time ever comes.

Can you tell I'm not the type to turn the other cheek?

By the way, my favorite moment of the debate was when President Obama nailed Romney on his Libya posturing. He really thought he was going in for the kill, didn't he? Romney looked like a complete fool. But then again, what else is new?

Veep Notes

I thoroughly enjoyed last Thursday's vice-presidential debate between Joe Biden and Paul Ryan. Unlike the first presidential debate, when I did a lot of screaming at the television, the veep-chat set me to laughing several times. More important, Vice President Biden was able to reveal the falsehoods and inherent flaws in his opponent's views with great aplomb.

Right-wing reaction to Biden was typical, mainly because they simply can't defend their own vice presidential candidate and his spotty record. I think my favorite moment during the veep debate was when Biden pointed out Ryan had requested stimulus money for Wisconsin even as he publicly rallied against it. The best breakdown of the interaction: Robert Reich's Super Clear, Super Helpful Review of the VP Debate.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow night's Obama-Romney rematch, although I have a feeling I'll be screaming at the television again. Which Romney will appear this time – the moderate, the conservative or the tea bagger?

Faux Chicanery & Denial

According to Think Progress:

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released an unexpectedly strong monthly jobs report on Friday, finding a dramatic drop in unemployment to 7.8 percent and revised the number of jobs added in July and August up from initial estimates. While for most Americans, the growing economy is good news, conservatives immediately expressed their skepticism in the jobs report’s credibility.

Naturally, the right-wing believes the numbers are all part of a nefarious scheme perpetuated by President Obama:

Meet The Conservatives Who Think Today's Job Numbers Are a Conspiracy

First they felt polls showing President Obama in the lead were fixed, and now new job numbers are nothing more than liberal chicanery.

More reaction from the right:

• Romney lashes out against good economic news
• Conservatives: jobs data phony
• Mailer Misleads Ohioans on Job Losses

What must it be like to live on Planet Denial?

Sacrifice in Reverse

Chris Christie on Meet the Press this morning:

He (Romney) believes everyone should have skin in the game; he stands for shared sacrifice to make this nation great again.

Shared sacrifice? Those living on the financial edge already have more than their share of "skin" in the game. The term "shared sacrifice" needs to be pointed directly at those who knowingly avoid paying their share of taxes instead of expecting America's working class and poor to shoulder the burden - again.

Losing homes, jobs and health benefits isn't enough for Romney? He wants these same people to sacrifice even more while he and others like him sit in their flush financial lofts?

Lame Rebuttal

What is the big deal about a recording of Barack Obama talking about redistribution, which contains the statement "I actually believe in redistribution, at least at a certain level to make sure everybody's got a shot"?

Does Romney actually believe the idea of redistribution from the wealthy to the middle class and poor will have the same high impact his disparaging comments about the 47 Percent has unleashed? Not a chance. It merely confirms his lopsided position, making laughable his most recent remarks that his campaign is all about the 100 Percent.

In truth, the counter-attack against President Obama has likely left Romney wide open for more criticism about his preference for the wealthy and dismissal of the rest of us.

Scary Citizens

More about the 47 Percent:

Mitt Romney tells donors his job is not to worry about Obama-voting freeloaders who depend on the state

Big surprise that most of the nasty comments about President Obama come from people living in the South, which follow the Daily Mail article linked above. Some things never change in America, I agree – such as hateful racism dressed as political outrage. Southerners are the first to complain they are labeled "racist" when they disagree with the President's policies, but the intense hatred emanating from the right-wing since President Obama took office lends little credibility to the faux protests. The misnomer of pious southern "Christians" is the biggest outrage of all and is nothing more than hypocrisy at its best (second only to Mormon mantra).

There were literally hundreds of comments following the Daily Mail article. Here's a snippet, both good and bad (my side-remarks are bolded in red):

• Alex from Louisville, Kentucky: I love all the Liberals ranting over this as if it will drive off Conservatives. 68% of America is conservative leaning (according to whom?) and most are not happy with paying to keep able bodied people at home, watching TV and playing video games while the rest of us work 40+ hours a week. It's the staple of the Tea Party Movement and the reason the Liberals LOST most of the elections in 2010 and we gained the HoR back. Please Mitt, more, more, let Paul Ryan go to be your attack dog to chew up the biased news media and spit them out.
• Sakara from Kentucky: THE TRUTH HURTS----Obama's biggest fans are the unemployed, and the people who work for the government.
• Cowboy Mouth from Ft. Worth, Texas: The tattoo-getting, nose-piercing nimrods wonder why they can't get jobs? They are physically able to work but don't want to do a Mexicans job because it is beneath them. Idiots. If you add them all up 50 % seems a little low.
• Taylor from Atlanta, Georgia: So many people think that they are owed everything instead of going out and working for what they get.
• Tiffany from Alabama: I'd like to know how what Romney said about the "poor" is any different from how Obama demonizes the "rich"?
• Plumpy from Lafayette, Louisiana: Romney speaks the truth. All of Obama's supporters are depended on government. They are the leeches sucking the economic blood out of the producers.
• K.M. from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho (skinhead country!): He is 100% correct and decent, hardworking Americans are getting more and more angry about being forced to subsidize lazy freeloaders.
• Zhang from Lumberton, North Carolina: Fact check - many of Romney's Mormon voters are dependent on government entitlements to support their unusually large families. Very true!
• T.J. from Atlanta, Georgia: What a bastard. I'm voting for Obama and I paid over $30,000 in Federal Income Tax last year so he can shove it up his golden-spooned ass. My favorite comment to date.
• Ian from London: When he talks about the 47% of Americans who don't pay tax is he including himself? From what I can see he has done everything possible to avoid tax through offshore bank accounts and offshore companies. Does America really want this guy to be President?
• Betty Blue Eyes from San Jose, CA: What about multi-millionaires who pay only 14% tax rates because their loopholes are "legal?" Do they think it's unfair that people making much less are in higher tax brackets? How do they feel about people who pay no federal tax legally? These include people on Social Security, people who are disabled, people who are in the lower ranks of the US military, who have low-wage jobs, etc. Why do these unfortunate people have to be kicked for taking advantage of their own legal rights?
• Penelope from Australia: America- your entire political, social, education and LACK of a health system are a joke most of the rest of the Western world. It's a shame it's not all that funny in that you erroneously pride yourselves on being the greatest democracy the world has ever known when you despise almost half of your own citizens and blame them for being poor, unemployed, sick and poorly educated. Ever thought of trying to solve these shortfalls in infrastructure instead of just blaming so many individuals? Perhaps the most rational comment so far.

Instead of attacking fellow citizens less fortunate than themselves, why don't various right-wingers stop whining and simply pay their fair share of taxes? Or voluntarily relinquish their Medicare and social security benefits if they feel so strongly about the matter? Their savage lack of compassion and burning hatred of anyone slightly different than themselves divides the country, along with their seemingly inherent selfishness and greed.

True Colors Will Out

He just can't help himself:

Romney Tells Wealthy Donors That 47% of Americans Are Lazy Moochers

The blog post relating to my experience with Mormons doesn't sound so far-fetched now, does it?

As I've said before – along with many others - the GOP is a gift that just keeps on giving.

One Way or Another

An assortment of both Republican and Democrat lawmakers are caught with their proverbial "pants down" sooner or later. The only difference is Democrats do not base their political platforms on moral issues as vehemently as the right-wing, which seems to make their actions all the more hypocritical.

• Married Republican lawmaker resigns over visit to topless bar while on golfing holiday with six colleagues

Judge not lest you be judged…

Denial Mode

I was listening to NBC's Jamie Gangell interview Mitt Romney with Chris Christie the other night, and was struck by a comment made by the New Jersey governor: "Romney is our best chance of taking back the White House."

Take it back from what, where or who? Take it back to the disastrous times of George W. Bush? Do Republicans really think the general populace has forgotten what Bush did to the United States in eight short years?

Or perhaps right-wing politicians are living in convenient denial, in their minds truly forgetting what their party did to our country.

Speaking for myself, I have daily reminders of their handiwork in the cost of food, healthcare and the consequences of their current non-action, not to mention just trying to survive in general.

I doubt I'm the only one.

True Colors

Come next election time, I don't think people will forget how the "Repugs" were willing to sacrifice them just in order to make President Obama "look bad." If the right-wing's lack of concern for their constituents or the American people in general wasn't obvious before, it surely is now. Their rabid hatred of the President seems to override all else, even common sense and basic compassion.

Bitter Leavings

I was watching Hardball on MSNBC this afternoon when host Chris Matthews did a segment titled "Whatever Happened to John McCain?" He quoted extensively from a Time Magazine article written by Joe Klein, in regards to McCain's opposition to the Dream Act and his crusade against repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

McCain distinguished himself doubly this weekend, opposing the Dream Act and leading the opposition to "Don't Ask," despite the very public positions of his wife and daughter on the other side of the issue. I used to know a different John McCain, the guy who proposed comprehensive immigration reform with Ted Kennedy, the guy--a conservative, to be sure, but an honorable one--who refused to indulge in the hateful strictures of his party's extremists. His public fall has been spectacular, a consequence of politics--he "needed" to be reelected--and personal pique. He's a bitter man now, who can barely tolerate the fact that he lost to Barack Obama. But he lost for an obvious reason: his campaign proved him to be puerile and feckless, a politician who panicked when the heat was on during the financial collapse, a trigger-happy gambler who chose an incompetent for his vice president. He has made quite a show ever since of demonstrating his petulance and lack of grace.

I've felt that way about McCain for many years, but didn't quite know how to verbalize it effectively. Bravo, Joe Klein.

For more, read the entire Swampland blog entry written by Joe Klein titled Two Dreams, One Dead.

Healthcare Parity

I've always been an advocate of Congress relinquishing their benefits as Americans struggle to survive in the current economy. As lawmakers make or block decisions that affect millions, why should they reap the benefits of healthcare, hefty salaries and pensions as their constituents flounder? See Collective Ineptitude, Power to the People, Malice McCain and Healthcare Foes.

I'm glad to see someone has taken it a step further by creating a petition:

• Repeal THEIR healthcare: GOP leaders want to repeal health reform? Let the hypocrites start by giving up their OWN government sponsored care.

Credo Action's petition reads:

Senator McConnell and Congressman Boehner, I am calling on you and your fellow Republicans in Congress to practice what you preach, and to give up your government-sponsored health care.

For two years, you opposed any effort at reasonable reform and derided attempts to help tens of millions of uninsured Americans as "socialist." And yet, you seem to have no problem at all accepting government-sponsored health care for yourselves.

Practice what you preach, and stop being hypocrites. You want to repeal health care reform? Fine, start by repealing your own.

Signing the petition certainly can't hurt. Nothing else seems able to spurn the right-wing into action.

More Righty Spew

I used to like Ted Nugent, and even saw him in concert in Reno a very long time ago, but the man's political views repulse me. He's entitled to his opinion just like anyone else, but its people of his ilk who represent the fanatical element of the right-wing. Frothing at the mouth, you might say, with very little to offer in the way of rationality.

Nugent's recent comment that we have "a clueless, rookie president hellbent on spending like a maniac as unprecedented debt piles up all around him" is hypocrisy in the extreme. Where was Nugent when George W. Bush was spending like a drunken sailor, or when the economy crashed with Bush at the helm?

And to think I wasted my hard-earned money on a few of his albums, not to mention one forgettable concert.

Tit for Tat

Republicans have always been ultra-sensitive to the criticism launched at George W. Bush during Hurricane Katrina. Bush's non-responsive actions during the crisis nearly five years ago marked the lowest point of his so-called presidency, aside from engaging the United States in the Iraq War.

Rather than expressing sincere concern about the ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, right-wingers such as congressman Mike Pence from Indiana couldn't wait to get on television to bemoan "the lack of response from the Obama administration." Others stated that the oil spill is "Obama's Katrina."

From Paul Krugman at the New York Times:

"…Much of the press floated the idea that this was "Obama's Katrina" despite the fact that the administration responded as quickly as anyone could reasonably have expected, and anyway there wasn't much it could do.

What I didn't quite expect, however, was the extent of revisionism I'm seeing about Katrina itself. Again and again, I'm seeing people claiming that tales of Bush administration failure were just a falsehood spread by the liberal media, that those left-wing crazies were blaming Bush for an act of God…"

For once, I wish the right-wing would display just a smidge of real concern instead of jumping on the "take-a-stab-at-Obama" bandwagon.

They are profoundly pathetic and utterly transparent.

Swine Club

The ignorance of this man knows no bounds:

• After Calling the Stimulus 'Fiscal Child Abuse,' Sanford Flies To DC to Demand Stimulus Money

I am not a resident of South Carolina and therefore have no real interest in their internal issues. However, since Mark Sanford's "scandal" last year I think he would want to draw as little attention to himself as possible. The man is a joke, both morally and politically. Because of his self-inflicted personal drama, hypocrisy and dubious governing, he has no real credibility – kind of like one of his right-wing comrades.

On that note, last night I found myself watching ABC's "news" program 20/20. It's not my typical viewing choice for a Friday evening, but after a bit of channel-surfing following Medium, I came across Jenny Sanford speaking to Barbara Walters about her marriage.

One word kept coming to mind as I listened to the poor woman talk about her husband and her life with him. Pig. The man is a pig. Not only did Jenny Sanford give up a promising career to marry the dumb bastard, she devoted herself to his political ambitions. In all likelihood, her selfless efforts propelled him into congress and into the South Carolina governorship.

And what does she get in return? A self-involved philanderer who had the utter bloodlessness to declare his mistress "soul mate" in front of the world after he was caught out in his lies. Instead of honoring his wife's loyalty and devotion to him, Sanford tromped on her like she was a piece of garbage instead of returning the respect she was due.

Self-entitlement and moral ineptitude is not confined to the right-wing. At the moment I'm also disgusted by the behavior of John Edwards, although he was never at the top of my choice of presidential candidates.

I'm not one to tout anything done by members of the right-wing, but the actions of Jenny Sanford following the scandal made her different from the rest. Instead of "standing by her man," she left him in the dust - which is where he belongs.

For that she should be applauded.

Stating the Obvious

Yikes! Another "news flash" from the right:

• Hatch Admits Hypocrisy: "A Lot of Things Weren't Paid For" When Republicans Ran Congress During Bush Years

Although I don't care for the man or his policies, at least Orrin Hatch admits GOP failings and hypocrisy. Perhaps a bit of his late friend Ted Kennedy rubbed off after all.