Wednesday Notes

Elizabeth Warren wants a strong Consumer Financial Agency or "alot of bood and teeth on the floor" with no agency.

Received my President Obama e-mail--he's going for the gold on health care reform.

The Murdoch Wall Street Journal in a long editorial warns ominously that this would an "Abuse of Power", the headline Drudge dutifully prints. If the Republicans ever regain control of the House, they will certainly go to impeach President Obama. That boy is too uppity.

Looks like Fat Tony punked out at the Supreme Court. They refused to rule on D.C.'s gay marriage law. The Catholic Charities promptly pulled its medical insurance for all couples because they feared they would end up having to cover a gay couple and that would be a violation of religious freedom. Gay and lesbian couples began lining up at the marriage office late last night and by early morning 100 had gotten their licenses and the line continues to grow. The nice irony is that this is all right next to the Capitol Building.

My political hopes were dashed yesterday as Kinky Friedman lost his Democratic primary bid for Agricultural Commissioner. To add insult to injury, the Democratic Underground posters taunted him. But Houston mayor Mel White looks like a strong candidate against secessionist Rick Perry. But we can always remember Kinky's heroic run for governor. Right after W left, he ran on the slogan, "How Hard Can It Be?"

Also yesterday, Jerry Brown threw his hat in the ring for governor of California. It's so strange seeing Governor Moonbeam back. But Brown has been an able Attorney-General for California, challenging the insurance companies and banks. It will be interesting if Meg Whitman ever decides to be interviewed by the press. She believes she can buy the office.

I receive the right-wing stuff unfiltered through e-mail so the direct impact usually infuriates me. But if you want a more joyful look at the shit-eaters then read John Avlon's Wingnuts: How The Luantic Fringe Is Hijacking America. This is the Daily Beast's first book where John is a political columnist. You can read how Obama became a socialist, Communist, fascist and any other strange thing in John's reporting from the fringe. Did Barack meet Michelle at a Communist Party meeting? Well, then again was Monica Goodling Liz Cheney's sex slave? Who knows? John advocates everyone who is sane fight back. As he points out, the fear-mongers actually believe our democracy is weaker than it is and are counting on that. Low and Behold, he quotes George Washington himself warning against wingnuts because in history they usher in "frightful despotism". George is making a comeback in my eyes. All the best hits of the Right are in this book--a relatively modestly priced paperback.

For what happens if wingnuts get in charge, read Darius Rejali's Torture and Democracy (Princeton, 2009). The Reed professor details in 800 pages how modern democracies have used and developed torture and where.

In the latest Forbes, an article "United Health: the Glory Days Are Over." Watch for more of these articles as the health reform plan passes. The secret about the sorry state of the insurance companies will come out.

Mittens Romney has his book out and he charges Obama is fueling "anti-Americanism around the world". Sorry, Mitt, the polls show Obama has restored our credibility and importance after the last sorry crowd flushed us down the toilet.

After Ken Russell's "Crime of Passion" with Tony Perkins' over-the-wall portrayal of a sex-crazed pastor, I'm chilling out tonight with "Where The Wild Things Are", which is now out on DVD.

The American Family Association--which is a faux Christian group--wants the Killer Whale who killed its trainer stoned. They say Sea World should use biblical law. Why is it that fake Christians can never quote the New Testament but must invoke ancient Jewish laws, which Jews themselves dispensed with a few millennia ago?

The Pakistanis actually captured the tunnel headquarters of Al Qaeda, but the big shots were missing. But at least we get good visuals.

Thank Jim Bunning for demonstrating to America the degree to which Republicans are obstructionists. Basically, his insane actions--which were really aimed at Mitch McConnell--only gave the green light to Democrats on health care reform.