Weekly Roundup, July 17-22, 2012

By Blueberry T

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Sunnyjane’s Countdown to the Election

Sunnyjane is going to help us through the next few months by recapping the election-season happenings.  This past week, we saw President Obama singing in the rain – well, speaking, anyway – along with his wet but rapt audience.  Meanwhile, Mitt was looking managerial even while relaxing with his son at the multi-million dollar digs in New Hampshire.   The various story-lines of Mitt’s no-good-very-bad-week come together – the shifting story about when he left Bain (proving his business background is now a liability); the hidden tax returns.  I love that Joe Trippi wrote – for Fox News, no less – that no one in their right mind would choose a running mate who refused to provide tax returns and who had hidden accounts overseas, yet Romney thinks he can get away with non-disclosure.  There is a LOT more in this post, including Cheney re-emerging, the outsourcing of the Olympic uniforms, wasteful spending by Congress while they clamor for cuts in vital programs, and much more.  Well done once again, sunnyjane!

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Next Installment: Leadfoot’s Review of Bristol’s F***in TV Show

Leadfoot and Bella suffered through two more episodes of “Life’s a Tripp.”  The show is actually brilliant in showcasing how mean, petty, spoiled and dysfunctional the Palins are.  Let’s see – going to school to learn to style hair is just too tough for Willow, who is used to having her Friday nights free in case she wants to party and trash someone’s house.  (Okay, I added that part.)  Bristol is trying so hard to get Gino to propose to her that she looks desperate.  I wonder how many times in all the episodes someone says to Tripp, “You’re not cute” (meaning he’s misbehaving) – so much so that he is saying it back to them, along with “I hate you,” again.  Really, how many times has he said that?  These are not things that get said repeatedly by 3 year-olds in happy, well-balanced families, in my experience.  Then, of course, there is the “f-bomb,” which Patrick concludes is “faggot.”  (Since this post, the story has been picked up by quite a few media.)  Patrick also reminds us of the context that the Palin sisters have used this kind of foul-mouthed language before.

Thursday, July 19, 2012

More Palin FamilyDysfunction

Dusty is back!!  Speaking of context, she looks at Tripp calling Willow a “faggot” in the context of all the utter dysfunction in the Palin household.  We well know that Palin brags about “going rogue,” that she is a disinterested mother and absentee parent and that the family revels in nastiness and lashing out in response to any perceived slight.  The Palin household is not a place where children gradually learn coping and socializing skills in a nurturing environment.  Instead, the kids are constantly both defensive and offensive – yes, both meanings apply.  Tripp, unfortunately, is learning their dysfunctional behavior and potty-mouthed language, and like most young children, he is a good mimic of what he hears from his mother, aunt and other relatives.  Ironically, the Palins seem to think that the public will find this as amusing as they do. No, actually, we’re just not that into watching you abuse your child, Bristol.  I hope that this will be further evidence to use in court about how unfit Bristol is to care for Tripp. 

Saturday, August 21, 2012

Another Horrific Mass Shooting

Patrick’s Saturday post is so sad – a remembrance of Jessica Ghawi, one of the victims of the terrible shooting in Aurora, Colorado.  It seems not that long ago that we were writing about the shooting in Tucson, or was it Virginia Tech, or … well, there are too many, and each time we hear how "shocked and saddened" our politicians are.  I cannot imagine how the families must feel, as they listen to more “up is down” spin from the NRA and the Republicans, saying that we should have more guns, not less.  (I continually fight my wish that members of Congress or their loved ones would have to face the terror of having someone point a weapon like the one above at THEM; then suddenly this would be a problem that had to be solved. Gabby Giffords excepted from this group.)  We all need to rise up and make Congress accountable for failing to protect the welfare of the American people.  It is the ONLY WAY that this sad situation is ever going to change.  #RIPJessica and all the victims of this and the many other senseless gun tragedies.  

Sunday, August 22, 2012

A mini-wiki – whatyou need to know about Mitt Romney

Patrick’s excellent post puts together five of the best recent articles about Mitt Romney, in an effort to reveal who he is and what he stands for.  Well, as Patrick points out, the one thing that most clearly defines Romney is that he stands for nothing except making money – he is a serial flip flopper and as Ted Kennedy brilliantly pointed out, he is “multiple choice” (not only on abortion, but on everything).  The good news is that the media is doing its homework and putting together some fine investigative work.  The articles are:

• “Where the Money Lives” -- Vanity Fair  
• “6 Things Mitt Romney is Hiding” –  Mother Jones 
• “Here’s What I think Romney is hiding…” –  Business Insider 
• “Assets Hint at Larger Romney Wealth” – Associated Press/ Time  
•  “Romney stayed at Bain 3 years longer than he stated” – Boston Globe 

Despite the Romneys' protestations, this was not the Obama campaign slinging mud at them (as Ann intimated) - these were journalists digging up information that the voters need to know about a guy who wants to be President but refuses to disclose key information and is so secretive that he makes Richard Nixon look open.  

As a bonus, the post includes a link to a little-known story from Scoop Independent News about “Bishop Romney” counseling a pregnant woman not to have an abortion, even though her life was in danger.  

Monday, July 23, 2012

Sunnyjane’s Countdown: 16 Weeks to Election Day

by Azure Ghost

I realized how far behind I was on the Roundup when I saw sunnyjane’s post and realized I hadn’t even reported on her “17-weeks-and-counting” post yet – uh oh!  She highlights the latest evidence of how fake Romney is – even his Twitter followers are bogus!  Then there was yet another week of focus on what Mitt is hiding in his unreleased tax returns, with an increasing number of Republicans calling for full disclosure.  Fortunately, Ann Romney said that “…there are so many things that will be open again for more attack... and that's really, that's just the answer.”  Okay, I find it hard to interpret that statement in any way except to confirm suspicions that they are hiding “so many things.”  The post contains a plethora of sunnyjane’s trademark witticisms, aimed at Limbaugh, Bachmann, O’Reilly, The Donald, McConnell and, of course, Sarah Palin!!  (The photo captions are by themselves worth the price of admission.)  On a more serious note, sunnyjane points out that Mitt Romney’s been pallin’ around with a rapist, and she reminds us of the pitiful reactions of some Republicans to the Aurora massacre. 

Some comments and links (okay, really a lot, to make up in some small way for the ones I inadvertently deleted – so sorry!): 

Enigmaplanner:  Why did John McCain pick @Sarahpalinusa over @mittromney in 2008? Easier to cover up a fake birth than answer Mitts tax filing questions.

AzureGhost:  …here are some reasons why Palin really is better than Mitt:

Believes in seceding from the US instead of just outsourcing
Wouldn't even know how to spell "Bain"
Thinks 7-Eleven cookies are gourmet food
Isn't Mormon but pretends to be Jewish
Wouldn't put pet dog on car roof; would just shoot it

Thank you, GOP, for the never-ending laughs at your expense.

Thanks to Sleuth1, who did us all a favor by live-blogging Bristol’s show; I think the Scotch probably helped a bit!  The wrapup:  Tripp dropping the F bomb was the total highlight for me! …I agree that it was sad, but it totally put the lie to her "mothering skills".  And THAT I totally enjoyed.

BanditBasheert:  I feel so bad for Tripp - and for anyone who ever has to be responsible for turning him into a productive member of society.  That mouth - on that adorable little boy.  I get the feeling Brisdull sees Levi in him, which is why she is turning him so negative.  She really hates Levi but she isn't done with her revenge.  She's destroying his little boy - because she can't get to him.  This is sooooo sad.

Kathleen:  Every week this programme reveals another level of Palin family abuse of small children. I expect they all grew up like this. 

JCos:  Bristol - "Levi, your son said the F word."
Levi - "Which one?"
Bristol - "Tripp!"
Levi - "I meant which F word."

Mxm:  Bristol whining about her inability to discipline Tripp was just sad.  She doesn't understand that first she must discipline herself.

Silver_desert:  Britney Spears lost physical custody of her children when she was unable to handle the spotlight and the media was all over her for ages.  But I don't remember her kids being subjected to the abuse the Palins do to their little ones right in front of our eyes for the past four years.

BfromC:  She is sooooooooooo terribly naive to think that her statement settles it. 

First -- we KNOW he gives 10% to the church.
2nd -- this has nothing to do with Mitt's charitable giving.  It is about his secret, potentially illegal and totally "un-American" financial practices!

Maelewis:  I think that her latest statement is right up there with "It's our turn," and wearing that $990. t-shirt.

IWanttheTruth:  When she says Mitt is good and generous she means he is good and generous to Mormons because they deserve it.  The rest of us are "you people"/Gentiles and are lesser beings.  She is addressing the rest of us blurry masses from within her self-righteous Mormon bubble.  The Romney's buy their self-righteousness with that 10% donation. 

Jane:  My question: why does Mitt always seem to bring out Ann every time he needs to defend himself, or decides that he wants to employ a mean attack dog??? No, seriously, he uses her as his defense and attack dog. It is a VERY strange dynamic. George W. used to do that sometimes with Laura, but never to this extent: he used Laura to come out and "explain or defend" when he had done something embarrassing and indefensible – but not to act as his mean attack dog. This merely weakens Mitt even further in my view, and is a very sick political AND family dynamic. If Mitt's not man enough to do his own defense and make his own attacks, he shouldn't be running for the job. Can any of us even imagine the howling that would occur if Michelle were to act as Barack's defense or mean attack dog – or if Michelle were to angrily condescend to the voters, lecturing them as to why none of the rules applied to her or Barack? 

Psalm023:  Crazy how some would refuse every citizen the right of universal health care, yet demand the right of every citizen to bear arms.

Leadfoot_LA:  …the crazies are ALWAYS in control. The crazy shooter made the rules in that theater last night. Crazy Sarah Palin gets attention for her lunatic rants. The crazy lady in the grocery store draws the attention of all the other shoppers who just stare in silence. Crazy is unusual, and it is LOUD. So people tend to give crazy way more attention than it deserves.

BfromC:  I was just listening to Progressive Radio while out and they were discussing gun control. They brought up the fact that so many other countries in this world have figured out how to manage this and avoid the gun violence. We in the USA are a deadly anomaly.

Bottom line - what is the problem with having people register and go through some checks, and banning the sale of the most destructive of the weapons?

To me the irony is that in many conservative states now, you have to go through many more hoops to register and be allowed to vote, than any hoops troubled and mentally ill people have to jump in order to murder people in a fit of delusion. They obviously have NO hoops to prevent them from their destructive purchases.

Ennealogic:  There will always be crazies - especially when fostered and fed by extreme voices.  What we can do is limit the damage the crazies do, by regulating the weaponry they can legally buy and own.

Junasie14:  And to think that someone with this mindset would run as a pro-choice candidate in MA in two seperate elections, only to reverse himself again when looking to the national stage, is beyond belief. Everything in this mans' career has been calculated and controlleed to the umpteenth degree, and he is taking a lot of people for fools with his pious attitude of "how dare people question my background".

Linda1961:  Rmoney has never believed in America - first by sending American jobs overseas and destroying American businesses just so he could add to his fortune, then by not paying his fair share of taxes on his income, and finally, by accepting subsidies from the government he refuses to support.

Jane:  There are only two advantages to doing it Mitt's way – and both are shady: 1) evading American taxes that are legally due from him; 2) using Swiss privacy laws as a sinister cloak so that he can safely invest in things like Iranian oil – investments that would be illegal if publicly registered or done from America. And we know for a fact (from the mouth of his own adviser, no less) that Mitt has invested in Iranian oil. Who's pallin' around with terrorists NOW?????

Maelewis:  Mitt's money that is sitting in Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Switzerland or any other foreign country that provides a way to shelter money against US taxes shows that Mitt Romney is not patriotic. If his money was invested in some way in the United States, it would be invested in our businesses and service industries. The taxes that Mitt avoids paying could have been used to improve highways and repair crumbling bridges and other vital infrastructure. All of those enterprises would have provided jobs. Let me repeat that: Mitt is unpatriotic to shelter his money outside of the United States to avoid paying taxes. That money could be working for the US instead of foreign interests.

Patrick linked to Andrew Sullivan at the Daily Beast.  

ProChoiceGrandma linked to Slate about the possibility that Mitt is hiding the fact that he took the amnesty for taxevaders using Swiss bank accounts.  DailyKos has a post on this topic as well.  

Mxm pointed out this article explaining the amnesty for “financial parasites hiding in Swiss bank accounts.”   

Bloomberg has another plausible guess about what is in the 2009 return that would look bad for Romney.  

(BBT: I’m leaning toward the “all of the above” choice for #WhatRomneyishiding)

Moreapa linked to HuffPo article about Romney’s admission that Cayman Island accounts were set up to help people evade U.S.taxes.  

Linda1961 had this from Wonkette on SheriffJoe Arpaio.  

zane1 found this – too good!  Also this from the Boston Globe on Romney’s connections with Bain after February of 1999.  

Leadfoot pointed this out onWonkette.  

Sunnyjane:  There's something batshit crazy about this country.  I can't buy heart-worm medication for my dogs over the internet without a prescription from the vet, but some gun-toting cretin can buy six thousand rounds of ammo over the internet with no restrictions. Police chief: Suspect bought over 6,000 rounds of ammunition through Internet  http://us.cnn.com/2012/07/20/j...

Alwaysthink, zane, Linda, Kathleen and others offered a round of applause and many h/t’s to HonestyinGov, who has been lighting Twitter up with many, many tweets about Mitt buying Twitter followers and many other topics.  Here are just a few:
https://twitter.com/HnstyNgov/... @billmaher:> @nyaltnews CHART:#Romney's Twitter account surging with phony followers. http://goo.gl/zMzWp #MoreFakeMitt @TheDailyShow #p2 

https://twitter.com/HnstyNgov/... @MittRomney's: "Mormon Church owns UNREGULATED #Gun Sale website"http://bit.ly/LC4sve  #Aurora #Theatershooting#CO #connecttheleft #p2b #p2 

This one highlights Jason Alexander’s excellent post.  @IJasonAlexander Responds w Lengthy Response to #Aurora tragedy & #GunRights ppl to him. http://www.twitlonger.com/show/if2nht #connecttheleft #p2 #p2b

Older_Wiser suggested this to add to Patrick’s Romney post  and here is a link to Frontline:  TheMormons.