Now yer talkin'!

WaPo

Supporting marijuana legalization and winning elections

Wow! What a concept!

Politicians typically lag behind the voters on social issues, at least publicly. Many elected officials will say in private that they personally support marijuana legalization but fear political repercussions if they “come out” about their support for reform. That dynamic may be shifting. In blue Oregon and California and red Texas, candidates have just succeeded with a pro-reform message. As the momentum builds for marijuana legalization across the country, politicians will have no choice but to get in step with the public. And then we’ll really start to see things change.

"Politicians typically lag behind the voters on social issues." No shit. The only thing they don't lag behind in is cashing checks. They're scared like little girls to piss off their money spinners, in this case the liquor and private prison and law enforcement lobbies, not to mention the anti-fun people on the Puritan right.

Sadly, yes...

Thanks to YubaNet.

Semi-Official CA Primary Election Results

Not that anybody gives a shit...

President, on separate partisan ballots, Obama - 100%, Romney - 79.6%, followed by Ron Paul and the other usual suspects, most of whom already dropped out.

U.S. Senate, 23 candidates, all parties, top two to face off in November, incumbent Dianne Feinstein - 49.3%, followed by some Repug woman nobody's ever heard of at 12.5%. In homage to brain-dead name recognition, Oily Taint came in fourth at 3.1%, followed by a gaggle of others, mostly Repugs.

Propositions. Sounds risqué but it's not. Heh.

Prop 28, Legislators Term Limits, passed handily, thanks to me 'n Mrs. G.

Prop 29, Buck A Pack Tax On Cigarettes To Fund Cancer Research went down 50.8% to 49.2%. I was going to vote 'No' because I don't much care to vote extra taxes on only some people unless they're rich, but when I saw who was against it - R.J.Reynolds and Philip Morris among others - I changed my mind. They dive-bombed the airwaves with $47 million and squeaked it out.

U.S. Congress, District 4, incumbent Tom "Carpetbagger" McClintock(R) won in a mudslide. I voted for the Dem I've never heard of.

Locally, I voted for a judge because he was recommended by an old friend and retired Nevada County Sheriff's Captain who was also in charge of the county jail on one of my stays there. He came to visit me once in the day room just to shoot the shit which caused a goodly amount of consternation amongst the other trustys as if I were an intel plant. Heh. The judge also was recommended by a retired judge who had to make up a charge to rule against me in a land-use case when he couldn't find cause to rule against me on any of the original 23 charges. The plaintiff's lieyer, his former employee, was up for Superior Court judge and he didn't want him to lose a case. Clever bastards, judges. They stick together like priests on pedophile charges.

It wasn't much of an election, with a projected 25% voter turnout which would be a record low for a CA presidential primary. Ho-hum.

Babies! At the end of the world

If it's Wednesday, it must be Morford on the low birth rate in Spain, world overpopulation, and paella. Mmmmmm, paella, or "shrimps 'n rice" as my Spanish friends call it.

I have recently returned from Spain. Spain is sultry and delicious like spicy paella at midnight; Barcelona is like San Francisco with a sexier accent and better sangria, warmer and bigger and messier, a million outdoor patios and nightclubs that won't even look at you until 2:00AM.
...

It's a basic, insane truism of economics: Population growth is what makes for a thriving economy. Not population stasis, not population contraction, not population oh-my-God-there-are-way-too-many-people-in-this-room-right-now. Only growth, endless and forever, will keep the world from imploding. How very preposterous.

Sound obvious? Sure it is. But it's also sort of tragic, this collision course with imminent implosion. We're like the bus in Speed or the boat in Speed II or the quantum rocket ship in Speed III -- slow down even for a second, and Sandra Bullock gets it.

The thought of Sandra Bullock "getting it" is ... but I digress.

This much we know: No one is walking through the slums of Mumbai or Sudan, no one is stuck in traffic in LA, coughing up a lung in São Paolo or just trying to cross the street in downtown Cairo and saying, "Hey, you know what we need? We need more people. We need to procreate ourselves out of this problem. After all, it's what God wants." Because God, apparently, is a complete idiot.

Yeah, the ancient charlatans who conjured up an imaginary sky monster to scare people into doing what they want and makes them go by what He says made Him in their own image. Whatever works, and it does.

More. Enjoy the paella.

Now ...

She's a New Yorker:

The wing of the space shuttle Enterprise was damaged on its journey from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to its new home at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in Manhattan.

The shuttle was en route to a New Jersey marina, its first destination on a two-part trip, when the tip of the wing scraped a piling in Jamaica Bay.

...

Nearly every vehicle in NYC has, at the very least, a small dent or has had a side-view mirror torn off parking on the street. Comes from packing 8 million people and their cars into such a small space. Enterprise can now say she has her first NYC dent. Heh ...

We're doomed ...

It's all over but the crying in Wisconsin:

Republican Gov. Scott Walker has won the Wisconsin governor’s recall over Democratic Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, holding onto his job after his push to slash collective bargaining rights for public employees sparked intense statewide backlash.

...

This is the news I woke up to and my first reaction is that I'm pissed and disappointed. The ramifications of this are far-reaching and will have deleterious effect on our system for a long time.

Ending a deadly drug war

Suggestions by LATimes readers on ending the drug wars. Weak as water. Here's mine:

Decriminalize, or better yet, legalize possession of marijuana.

Beef up interdiction of the cheeb at our southern border. Our 'free market' is perfectly capable of satisfying demand if left to its own devices. Leave Canada alone. Great weed and no war up there that we've heard about.

Send the big brave DEA agents who are so good at busting the places where sick folks get their meds to Mexico to wipe out the baddies in the drug cartels.

That was a grim joke, folks. Then send the Marines (SEALS, SpecOps, 82d Airborne, whomever) down there to rescue what's left of the DEA guys and wipe out the cartels in the process.

We could win TWO drug wars, the Mexicans' and ours.

Doughy Pantload is at it again

LATimes

It should surprise no one that I'm opposed to the recall of Scott Walker, the Wisconsin governor whose fate will be decided Tuesday. But that's only in part because I support what he's been trying to do in the Badger State. I'm also against recalls as a matter of principle.

He's a right-winger and by definition wouldn't know 'principle' if it bit him on the ass.

In 2003, I was one of the few conservatives opposed to the recall of Gray Davis, arguably the worst California governor in modern memory.

Except for the two Repug goobernators that preceded and the one who followed him.

Wisconsin's governor is no Schwarzenegger. Walker ran as a full-spectrum conservative promising to take on the political machine. "I was the original'tea party'in Wisconsin," he declared in 2010. The effort to remove Walker from office is not an attempt to hold him accountable for his failures — as it was with Gray Davis — but to punish him for his successes.

It's probably easier to esplain shit to a three-year-old than to a committed wingtard, but I'll try.

Ker-whack! (Dope slap to get his attention) Look, asshole, Walker lied, cheated, and stole to get "success" for the Big Money, NOT the people, of, by, and FOR whom government is supposed to be, and they're PISSED. They don't want to go back to Robber Baron days like the Repugs do.

Note to my Wisconsin friends: Turn out in UNBELIEVABLE numbers today and send that puke home to await his coming indictments.

Quote of the Day

Mr. Aravosis:

Not to go all Pat Robertson, but it is interesting how so many of these phenomena seem to occur in the same places tornadoes hit.

I been saying this for a long time. When natural cataclysms hit Jesusland, it's "God is testing us" but when there's a natural disaster in a blue state "God is showing his displeasure with our decadent lifestyle". If that's true, how come Jesusland is the major recipient of flooding, tornadoes, and all around bad things? Maybe God is trying to tell them something.

Good luck ...

Our progressive brothers and sisters in Wisconsin are embarking on the fight of their lives today. Good luck and godspeed!

A year of explosive legislation, bitter protests, endless campaigning and a prior round of recalls in Wisconsin have led to today.

Republican Gov. Scott Walker, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and four state senators are facing recall votes. It is only the third gubernatorial recall election in American history, and the first ever for Wisconsin.

...

Looks like ...

Karzai of the Afghans has more to worry about from his own family than he does from the Taliban:

The family that has prospered most under our shower of largess is in discussion as to their future course of action. Discussion Hell! The Karzai family is fighting tooth and nail amongst themselves to get their share of all they have stolen these last ten years.

...

"Permanently capitalizing the P in Presumptive Nominee"

Will Durst on Willard and The Donald:

Another potential mine in the Road to Tampa is the struggle to keep Willard from hanging out with the wrong crowd. You know, other Republicans. Especially distressing to see him palling around with Donald Trump. Again, Like being photographed at a clown convention. No matter how hard you try, some of that white face is bound to wipe off on the shoulders of even the most ghostly of political shadows.

I gar-on-tee nothing but white is gonna rub off on Rmoney. And who could tell?

Donald Trump: a man who is to sober judgment what chocolate covered marshmallows are to quantum physics. Fueling more fickle furnaces that suspect he’ll say or do anything to get to 50.1%, Romney refuses to criticize The Donald, even when the reality show host spouts further Birther nonsense. “Obama was born in Kenya.” No, he wasn’t. He was born in Honolulu. In a manger. Everybody knows that.

When asked why he continues to press on with this discredited charge, Trump said: “People on the street tell me not to give up on the issue.” Donald, for crum’s sake, you live in New York City. People on the street also say “My tricycle sprouted wings and is made out of plutonium.”

Although when you think about it, the Oxymormon needs to pick a vice president who makes him look presidential, and The Donald might be the perfect choice. Next to him, Lou Ferrigno looks Presidential. Manny Ramirez. Some random guy in a banana suit twirling a sign.

Of course, featuring these two titans of industry, people would either flock to or flee from the Vulture Capitalist Ticket. You’ve heard of Dumb & Dumber? Welcome to Rich & Richer. Even George Will would have to admit, it’s a pairing that would go a long way into nailing down the bloviating ignoramus vote. Start cranking out the bumper stickers: “Romney/ Trump 2012. We’re Good at Firing People!”

Oh, the irony...

Ironic Times

BUSH, CHENEY, RUMSFELD, YOO CONVICTED OF WAR CRIMES BY INTERNATIONAL TRIBUNAL IN INDONESIA
Move along folks, nothing going on here.

Needs to happen a little closer to home, like the Hague.

Iran Says It's Been Hit by Powerful Cyber Attack
Ayatollah Khamenei rails against foreign invaders who disrupted his download.

Pulled his pants up for the first time in weeks.

Study: Regular Viewers of Fox News Least Informed
Regular viewers of test pattern score higher.

I like the one with the Indian Chief.

Study: Women Smell Better Than Men
Based on thousands of extremely awkward interviews.

"Not awkward at all!" says Fixer. Note his official interviewer shirt:

Click to embiggen

Quote of the Day

Thers:

...

Boy, if Mitt Rmoney wins the election, I wonder if he'll even have time to do any proper presidentin', what with all the billionaire dick he'll be sucking.

...

Real food ...

Been saying, and practicing, this for years:

What is it about we Americans that makes eating for pleasure such a doggone difficult concept to wrap our little Cotton Mather heads around?

...

But for some reason, Americans still insist on "eating for health" instead of for pleasure. And that all but provokes an inevitable reaction: too many of us keep on mistaking pleasurable foods for processed garbage with lethal amounts of salt, sugar, and who-the-hell-knows-what-else in them. It creates a deadly dichotomy. One side leads to deadly dull meals; the other is simply deadly.

...

This is where "keep it real" hits home. There is amazingly little that comes out of a package in this house. Eat real food, get adequate exercise, and you'll never have to put anything with the word "diet" on it near your lips again.

Headline of the Day

All 67 Florida Election Supervisors Suspend Governor Rick Scott's Voter Purge

In other words, "Stick yer purge where the sun don't shine, chromedome."

Don't Thank Me for My Service

This op-ed comes awfully close to the way I feel.

By Camillo Mac Bica, Truthout

I do not want to appear disrespectful or ungrateful, but should we meet on the street one day, do say "Hello," or "Fine day" or other such nicety, but please do not thank me for "my service" as a United States Marine. I make this request because my service, as you refer to it, was basically, either to train to become a killer or to actually kill people and blow shit up.
...

So, in the future, if you really insist on thanking me for something, do not thank me for the eight years I spent as a Marine, but for the 45 or so years following my discharge from the military that I have spent as an activist fighting for human rights and social justice and to end the insanity of war. Frankly, however, I would prefer that you just say hello, or fine day or other such nicety. You see, my activism all these years warrants no praise or merit, as it is not something I choose to do. Rather, I do it because I must, perhaps as penance for my culpability for the sacrilege of war. And if you truly want to demonstrate your good character, patriotism, and support for the troops and veterans, rather than merely mouth meaningless expressions of gratitude for something you don't truly understand or care much about, do something meaningful and real. Do what is truly in the interest of this nation and of those victimized by war.

Make some demands.

Demand, for example, an immediate end to the corporate takeover of our "democracy" and to the undue influence of the military-industrial-Congressional complex. Demand sanity in Pentagon spending and a reallocation of finite resources to people-focused programs such as health care, education and jobs rather than to killing and destruction. Demand an immediate end to wars for corporate profit, greed, power and hegemony. Demand that we adhere to the Constitution and to international law. Demand accountability for those who make war easily and care more for wealth, profit and power than for national interest or for the welfare of their fellow human beings. And finally, demand the troops be brought home now, and that they be adequately treated and cared for when they return. So, should we meet on the street one day, do say Hello, or Fine day, and as you talk to me about your efforts to make this country and the world a better and more peaceful place in which to live, I would be happy to thank you for your service.

Don't thank me either. Thankfully I never had to go to war and I didn't join the service for anybody but myself anyway. I was a dumb kid like everybody else. It worked out all right and I'm proud of my service but that's my business. So far I have been able to avoid telling people who thank me to go fuck themselves and where were they when my brothers in arms were being reviled for doing their duty in a war that was less despicable than Bush's Oil War. It's a struggle sometimes.

I guess I'm looking for a courteous way to say "Keep yer goddam thanks to yourself. You don't know jack shit."

I'll keep looking.

Well ...

Maybe it's not so bad:

Over the last week, the signals have been abundant that congressional Republicans are pivoting from their total opposition to “Obamacare” toward supporting the more popular chunks of the law.

...

Seems the Orange Boner realizes that too many people like too many provisions of the Affordable Care Act for the GOP to keep saying they're gonna repeal it. Idiots.

Quote of the Day

Watertiger:

Trump is the living exemplar of why the inheritance tax should be much MUCH higher.

Ain't no such thing ...

Heh ...

Stolen from the Americans Against The Tea Party FB page.