The political Revolving Door (County, Wisconsin) seems to have let Nazis in

As goes Door County Wisconsin so goes the Nation...

The Washington Post has another article on Door County. This makes sense because Door County is one of those things White People Like.

Anyway in the article about the swingin' nature of Door County (the previous one on this exact same topic was in June) has voted the last 6 elections for the Presidential winner.  But, like most Americans this 2024 election fells like a slog and they are just tired of politics.

Well... Voting for Republicans has consequences

While the people who live on the "Quiet" Side or the Party Side of the Peninsula tend to be more liberal south of Sturgeon Bay is farmland.  And like most of the large expanses of Wisconsin farmland its' peoples have been infected with the rabid reactionary virus of Republican fascism.

Now, much of the electoral defeats in Wisconsin have come down to rightwing ratfvcking of elections and obscene gerrymandering providing Republicans with statewide victories even when they lose the over all vote totals overwhelmingly.  Wisconsin voters have continuously pushed back against Republicans, which has just made Republicans turn to more outrageous non-democratic means of holding onto political power.

Since April, Robin Vos, who considers Wisconsin a solid Republican state when you simply exclude the voters of Milwaukee and Madison, has been engaged in the time-honored rightwing tradition of looking for post hoc justifications for his pre-planned Impeachment of Justice Protasiewicz because voters made the wrong choice and Justice Protasiewicz is going to undo the outrageous gerrymandered district drawn by Vos, Fitzgerald, Scott Walker and all the other anti-democratic goons ruining Wisconsin.

And with so many anti-democratic forces working in the state, it's not surprising a group of Neo-Nazis "The Blood Tribe" would feel free to march in Madison, (yes I know it's Dane County not Door).

As to The Washington Post article which relates the weary tales of various retired people, tavern owners, and small business people who long for a time when politics wasn't so fractious, divisive, partisan, and all-encompassing. I can only imagine these people blissfully ignored everything Republicans did to divide the Nation after George W. Bush's spectacular failure on 09/11/2001 (You're either with us or with the terrorists), never heard Republicans shout "You Lie" at President Barack Obama, never had Faux News on in the background of their favorite Supper Club, and are unaware Traitor Trump proclaims he will use the Government to lock up numerous people into Concentration Camps.

"Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you."

Jesus and Santa Claus are White Men! It's a Verifible Fact

Faux News anchor babe, Megyn Kelly, who before this Xmas was most famous for being ordered by Karl Rove to get up off her tush and walk her sweet sweet self down to the vote tabulating area, where Men would tell her that Nope Mitt Romney won the 2012 Presidency, has some bad news for you historians! Jesus and Santa are white males.

"And by the way for all you kids watching at home Santa just is white but this person is just arguing that maybe we should have a black santa," Megyn Kelly's opening statement against a Slate article by Aisha Harrris.

Of course, no "kids" are watching Megyn Kelly's Infotainment Show at 9pm Eastern, her spot is on to appeal to the Faux demographic old perverted white males who need constant reassurance the lord has blessed them as the masters of the universe.

During the segment, Megyn Keely even affected the I'm sharing a not so secret hands around the mouth megaphone maneuver and sly sideways glances at the camera which let the viewer know; Duh, it's a "verifiable fact" that jesus and santa are white.

"My point is, how do you just revise it in the middle of the legacy of the story and change Santa from white to black?" Megyn Kelly. 

"Yeah, I mean you can't!" Monica Crowley.

I believe these two just play the good-looking dumb-as-a-box-of-rocks Info Babes on Faux News, but short history lesson the appearance of jesus and santa have changed over time. Cultures, many of whom were forcibly converted to christianity, eventually made their new lord look like them. It was easier for the rulers and the people to have a deity who shared their aspects. Have a glance at the (surviving) Byzantine frescoes and mosiacs, the jesus and mary of those had the swarthy appearance of the people's of the Byzantium Empire. jesus didn't begin to resemble Bjorn Borg until the christians conquered and converted Northern Europe.

But, that's knowledge and that is strictly anathema to Faux News.

Ah Race... The bullshit construct of the 18th century is still plaguing us today. Race catergories come from a time when phrenology, animal magnetism and other pseudosciences were being winnowed away from actual scientific discourses.

But, Race based on external charaterisitics is especially silly today as genotyping and DNA mapping can show exactly from where one's ancestors originated. For instance, when North Dakota White Supremacist Craig Cobb learned that 1/7th of his genes are sub-saharan African.

But, unlike reading bumps on people's heads there is money and power to be gained from catergorizing and marginalizing people. And the Rich have used those Divisions to Conquer.

Disgusting conservatives attack President Obama with Tornado Deaths (Almighty God Hates Republicans)

Tornadoes took the lives of hundreds of people in southern states. This is tragedy as the loss of life diminishes all of mankind. I've been wondering when Racist Limbaugh or Pat Robertson would comment blaming the tornadoes on god's anger over DOMA or the tempting of god by trying to steal his divine wind power for green energy. Well, Andrew Breitbart, the most despicable shameless lying conservative working the people over these days, did not disappoint.

Breitbart, known mainly for altering often illegally obtained video footage of liberals to create false smears, went onto Faux Business News Follow the Money show and told Eric Bolling that President Obama believes, "what's the point of investing any amount of time or effort into drawing the maximum amount of help and effort to people who don't support him politically."

But, how do Bolling and Breitbart reconcile their stance on President Obama not offering the full amount of help with this:

The ten most dangerous words in the English language are “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.” -President Ronald Reagan*.

Surely, because everyone knows the private market does everything better than the Federal Government, Halliburton or Blackwater (Xe) should go to the disaster zone and offer help for the right price?

Of course, Breitbart doesn't care about the dead and suffering people in the south. Like all despicable conservative toxic commentators he only cares about moving the power of the Government into the hands of monstrous Republican hit men who can continue their Crusade to eliminate the Middle Class, end Medicare, Medicaid, steal Social Security, deregulate every industry and turn the government into the one the Right has always wanted; Of the many, by the few, for the few.

*-Reagan had trouble with simple math thus explaining his disasterous budgets.

Race in America

Shadwell hated all southerners and, by inference, was standing at the North Pole. ~ Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman, Good Omens

As a continuation of the Henry Louis Gates thread I'll expound on Race. I don't know Professor Gates, it's possible he's a racist (by which I mean he hates people because they are white or projects his general bad feelings about whites onto specific white people), it may even be probable.

To me the whole concept of Race is a bullshit construct. Historically, it was used as a way to divide poor blacks and poor whites. The poor white share cropper could always hold in his heart the "at least I'm white canard" and allow himself to be duped into believing he and the rich white man were the same despite his malnutrition, bowed back, calloused hands and short life expectancy.

But, our current ideas on Race have been built upon the edifice of the incorrect scientific thinking of the 19th century. This is not to damn the creators of the ideas of race but to point out that as Scientific thinking has evolved and explored new and unforeseen areas while also self-correcting yet there still exist charlatans and demagogues (Jesse Jackson and R. Limbaugh) as in the past who will ignore this and use the 19th century constructs to sunder humanity, usually for political or economic gain.

Humanity is not divided into the distinct Caucasoid, Negroid and Mongoloid classifications, but those divisions still underpin the thinking of many people. Archeology, Genetic Mapping and DNA have shown that all Mankind (to use the outmoded term) can be traced back to the Mitochondrial Eve of roughly 180,000 years ago. And even if you hold to the idea that man emerged and continued evolving several times from Africa as opposed to the currently more accepted theory that the modern strain of man came, almost exclusively, from the last emigration, all humanity are the same species, with minor, mostly superficial, differences. The Human Journey began in Africa, original home to us all.

But it is the doom of man that he must accentuate the differences between himself and his brothers.

In addition to the flawed thinking and perhaps superseding it, we also have the societal constraints on who you are and can be. People have the awful habit of projecting their notions of who you are based on what they see and we are slow too change our minds.

You are (or are supposed to be) what they say you are. You are black, you are white, you are asian, you are hispanic, and so forth. And being so you are also the preconceived notions they feel apply to a person of that persuasion. This leads to the chastising terms like Whigger, Uncle Tom, Oreo when someone steps outside of the viewers' prejudice and does not behave in the way they expect and want you to behave. Don't step outside of the box I have mentally assigned you.

So, I am not the "white cop" who yelled at you, wrote you the speeding ticket and busted you for smoking pot at 16. You don't know my mind and I know you don't care what I think anyway.

I will note a very annoying thing Obama did when he was an Illinois Senator was mandate the completion of "Stop Sheets" by Police Officers. To be completed after all traffic stops for a continuing study on racial profiling by Northwestern. It's not the addition paperwork, but the 5 categories the Officer gets to choose from concerning the race of the driver. The categories are: African/American, Caucasian, Hispanic, Native American/Alaskan and Asian/Pacific Islander. There's no category for Arab or Middle Eastern or Indian. It forces Officers to think in the outmoded method!

Well, now we have the black-ish Obama as President. And old, fat, puffy faced, flabby assed, bigoted toxic white men don't like this, so they project unto him the feelings they themselves possess. They want Obama to hold to the racist views. They want him to be a disciple of Jeremiah Wright because if Obama thinks like Wright then it affords them the cover to vent their racism at Obama.

And woe be anyone who deviates from their bigoted thinking, as Joan Walsh did, becomes the target of outright bigots R. Limbaugh (who labeled Walsh the "Magic Honky" for not hating black folk like Limbaugh) and the Free Speak (sic) police at racist FreeRepublic and Moonbattery who label Walsh and others; race traitors and self-hating whiteys.

Would you contest a speeding ticket from an Officer with chops this magnificent?

Update:
As far as the Obama Kenyan Birth certificate recently revealed by Orly Taitz. Let us apply both the "reasonable man" standard and some conspiracies.

Is it reasonable to believe a paper document has survived for 45 years in the nation of Kenya, often beset by military coups, droughts and famines, and the presence of the completely failed state of Somalia on it's northern border? Yet this document survived, in good condition and was conveniently discovered by Orly Tatiz? That's a reasonable belief?

But, speaking of which, it's interesting to note Taitz is a Soviet Communist, perhaps an unrepentant one at that, seeking to bring down America from within, using a "typical" communist ploy? And how did the Obama-ACORN-Islamo-Black Panther Brownshirts fail to destroy so damning a document? The Right likes to ascribe to the Obambots vast powers of intimidation, computer hacking and conspiracy but the Obama Thugs just happened to miss the one sure fire document which would interfere with all their work subverting and socializing America?

Update:
More Obama Conpriacy the "Kenyan" Birth certificate is from Australia. Australia, Australia, Australia We Love Ya!

You've heard these arguments before

“I’m not really certain how intellectually strong she would be..." - Karl Rove.

It's an argument used 20 years ago and one the Pro Human Pain and Suffering Racist Flabby Republicans can never let go.

''It's just that they may not have some of the necessities..." was the infamous line of Al Campanis on Nightline in 1987, which Rove et al are taping into. The "not smart" racist attack is not even thinly veiled or alluded to in a roundabout way it's blatantly stated by Rove.

The Republicans and their Toxic Commentators have learned an important lesson; before someone confronts you with your bigotry and wrong doings accuse them of the same charge. Hence the ridiculous Republican cries of Racism leveled against Sotomayor from the old, fat, puffy faced, flabby assed, bigoted white men who control the party. There is possibly no better retort than to simply look at (Video From Crooks and Liars) those leveling the charges; R. Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Newt Gingrich, Karl Rove, Tom "No to Evolution, Yes to Deferment" Tancredo, and Pat Buchanan. Old, Flabby, white and Racist. All of them professional bureaucrats, none of whom have probably ever done a day's labor and all of whom are Chicken Hawk members of the Party of Deferments, save Pat Buchanan who is staunchly anti-war and for which I give him much credit.

But you see to the Flabby Chicken Hawk Pro Human Pain and Suffering Party of Deferments, it doesn't even matter if the leaders believe the claims they make or not. It's simply part of their Art of War; Always disagree with the Socialist Democrats, always make outrageous attacks on them because the Party of Deferments are talking to their members, cooing malevolently into the ear of the rapidly aging and shrinking demographic who believes there really is no non-white male who possesses the necessary accoutrement and Sotomayor is a poor choice because she's an affirmative action choice just like all the other Hispanic Women on the Supreme Court, raised solely because of race.... err... and umm... their gender.

Update:
As for all the idiots (Red State and others) declaring it's an outrage they have to pronounce Judge Sotomayor's name correctly did all of you morons cheer on Brett Favre as FA-V-Ray or FARV for the Green Bay Packers?

The Case for Special Pleading

Besides politics, sports creates the most opportunities for man to engage in Special Pleading.

Those who fall prey to the Special Pleading often defend actions committed by members of their party while condemning members of the other party for those same actions.

Yesterday, the Bulls lost a tough game to the Celtics. With the Bulls losing by 2 and a few seconds remaining, Brad Miller received an in-bounds pass and lumbered to the basket for a game tying shot. While en route, Rajon Rondo of the Celts swung and hacked him across the face, opening up a cut and knocking Miller down. It took several minutes for play to resume and a clearly woozy Miller short-armed the first free throw pretty much ensuring the Bulls loss. The foul probably should have been called a flagrant foul.

After the goonish behavior of some teams (mainly the Pistons and Knicks) in the late 80's and early 90's, the NBA instituted the flagrant foul to distinguish between hard contact fouls and attempts to strike the player to stop them from scoring. Rondo intent was to strike Miller to stop him from scoring. It was not a play on the ball, it was not a hustle play with incidental yet forceful contact but a wild swing of the arm with a deliberate intent. The so-called 'no easy lay-ups in the playoffs'.

But, in comes the Special Pleading by Celtic fans. To wit: Rondo's smaller than Miller! The refs called Ray Allen for bogus fouls, this (non) call makes up for them. Miller is dirty so this is justice. Bulls fans are cry-babies. Kevin Garnett is classy!

I don't blame referees for calls (unless they actually commit a crime) as they have an extremely difficult job. However, it is why I favor instant replay as an aid to getting calls correct.

Of course, the ironic thing is, Boston fans and the Boston Globe recently hyped a referee/Bulls conspiracy. Of course, crying conspiracy now allows the Celtics fans to angrily denounce the non-flagrant call as sweet, sweet revenge. And it also affords them the mental gymnastics to never face the proposition the Bulls are the better team in this series and should have won. But, the Bulls lost and might not have the energy to pull out the series in 7.

Update:
Listening to 670 The Score on the day after the Flagrant game was interesting. The key overlooked position is the NBA assumed unwritten policy of make-up calls during a game. Perhaps the Ray Allen foul out call was wrong, so the refs made up for that by not calling a flagrant on Rondo to "even" the score. Sports blogs are full of Celtic fans espousing the two wrong calls make a right and citing earlier "examples" of refs missing calls as a defense for the non-flagrant call.

Being an NBA referee sucks. I wouldn't want the job. They immediately anger 50+% of the fans who watch the game for human mistakes. Rondo's head chopping call was an obvious foul call but much of what they do is interept fast paced action involving incredibly gifted men (but not women since they shouldn't play basketball). They are going to make mistakes, they are going to miss minute details. It fucking happens. They should not be derided for that, but any intentional direction to even out missed calls by missing future ones is unacceptable.

Times of Troubles

"Crime is crime is crime. It is not political." ~ Margaret Thatcher.

I highlight the above quote, not because I agree with the Thatcher, but because she was a stalwart friend and stood shoulder to shoulder with Saint Ronnie. Ronnie was the champion of the plutocrats and laid the rock solid foundation of the Economic Collapse of Tipsy Canoe with his Piss Down Your Back Voodoo Economics and is the reference for all Republicans today.

Thatcher's comments were made so the British government could allow Irish Resisters to starve to death in prison. Prisoners who were captured during The Troubles, a period of open warfare in Ireland.

2 Time Iraqi War Veteran Chuck Norris has announced thousands of cell groups will be united around the country in solidarity over the concerns for our nation. But Norris, Tea-bagging protesters and a youtube video by a "Marine" do not make a strong or popular movement. But even though I hope these are just the fringe elements, Frank Schaeffer highlights the comments by Norris may not just be some weird aberrations.

Norris is a champion Car-ate expert, but he and others are given a platform by those who would disavow any call to arms out one side of their mouth while engaging in the most vile and inflammatory rhetoric which hopes to bring about a visceral reaction amongst those whom they hate, control and abuse (the poor) but wish to use in order to keep the other half of the poor in check and divided.

Republicans are working for failure. Obama must fail so they may rule. Of course, the counter by the group has been Well you Democrats wanted Bush to fail, too! Nee Ner Nee Ner Nee Ner! As Dave Neiwert notes about Failure:

It would be one thing if Republicans were simply warning that Obama's stimulus plans were doomed to failure. We'd understand that. It certainly would mirror how we felt about the Iraq war: we believed it was a doomed enterprise that would not only cost far more in human lives than anything that might possibly be gained from it, but would actually worsen the conditions for terrorism it purportedly meant to combat. We recognized that Bush's rosy scenarios might come to pass, but we doubted it deeply -- and said so, and rightly.

And as Mahablog notes in When Failure is an Option: The Right "do not... see a difference between expressing the opinion that X is a bad idea and wanting X to fail."

From 09/12/2001 to 01/19/2009 disagreeing with the President was wrong-headed at best and at worst emboldened our enemies. However, dissent and the threat of civil war are now the highest form of patriotism. Before we had the simple conjectures to browbeat those who were against the destructive policies of Tipsy Canoe;

Supporting the Troops = Supporting the Mission = Supporting the President,
Not Supporting the President = Not Supporting the Troops + Treason.

Now supporting Obama is aiding the descent of America into a Islamo-Marxist Communist Dictatorship. And all sorts of things become acceptable to defeat that threat, especially when Republican Senator David Vitter calls the Obama government a "Dictaorship".

And so the election of Obama has given new vigor to an old enemy. The False Patriots standing up to denounce the excesses of the government. These men came to the forefront during the Clinton presidency and decryed all things government especially the Executive Branch. To them the government was coming for you and the revolution was at hand.

But, when a Republican "won", by a 5-4 vote, the White House, the rhetoric slowed, the furor subsided, the anger abated. The Southern Poverty Law Center noted by the Summer of 2001 there were 194 anti government Patriot groups a drop from the high of 858 in 1996. Why? Why did freedom lovers sit back when Tipsy Canoe and his Aides were crafting powers to curb laws, supressing the consitution, using the government to bilk Trillions, starting wars and keeping US safe, except for the whole 9/11 thing...

Well, the anger is back. Anger which began prior to Obama even taking office and which bubbled over by the Toxic Commentators declaring Obama equals the End of America. Recall how this was exacerbated when Republican VP candidate Sarah Hot and Palin and McCain spokeswoman Nancy Pfoentauer declared some parts of America are Real and "Pro"-America. The "Pro"-tectors of Eric Rudolph, who blew up women and abortion clinics, and found refugee amongst the Patriots in the Appalachians.

And now the Revolution is once again nigh.

But, the history of the English Occupation of Ireland and The Troubles is an apt comparison and should provide a blueprint for Norris, The Birthers and all the False Patriots of the consequences of their toxic rhetoric. Do they really want the bitter fruits which shall arise from planting the seeds of revolution? A militarized police force, captured persons being allowed to starve to death in prison, occupation by the military, outright street warfare, car bombs, indiscriminate shootings, a Kent State or a Waco or an Oklahoma City Bombing every month or worse in American cities?

But, the most terrible and most poisonous result coming from a call for armed resistance and open fighting would be the destruction of the Ideal The Founding Fathers crafted, a peaceful transition of power. Which once lost might never be found again.

Related:
Drinking Liberally in New Milford: Will the GOP upChuck on Norris support?