Political Truth.
Whether you like it or not.

Sunday, October 11, 2015

The Daily Drift

Welcome to the Sunday Edition of The Truth Be Told.
Our latest comment:
Great job here.
~ Sonya Meyer
Hey, wingnuts, yeah we're talking to you ...!  
 
The Truth Be Told is read in 205 countries around the world.

Typical Republican Food Truck - Broken down and burned up ... !
Today is - National Food Truck Day
 
Don't forget to visit our sister blog Carolina Naturally
Some of our readers today have been in:
The Americas
Argentina - Brazil - Canada - Chile - Nicaragua - Peru - Puerto Rico - United States
Europe
Belgium - Bosnia/Herzegovina - Bulgaria - England - France - Georgia - Germany - Greece  
Hungary - Ireland - Italy - Latvia - Lithuania - Netherlands - Norway - Poland - Portugal - Romania  Russia - Scotland - Serbia - Slovakia - Slovenia - Spain - Sweden - Ukraine - Wales
Asia
Burma - India - Indonesia - Korea - Lebanon - Mauritius - Pakistan - Palestine - Sri Lanka 
Thailand - United Arab Emirates
Africa
Algeria - South Africa - Tanzania
The Pacific
Australia - Palau - Philippines

Republicans Were Wrong in South Carolina Flood Disaster and 17 People Died

The torrential rains started falling, the 400 million looked like a bargain. Infrastructures began collapsing like proverbial dominoes. Just like the Democrats predicted it would …
sc-flooding
Andrew Breitbart, who founded the right-wingnut web-hole, Breitbart.com, died March 1, 2012, of heart failure at the relatively young age of 43. Breitbart was a tough guy to figure out politically. In his media life, he was associated with such leftist luminaries as Bill Maher, Arianna Huffington and Michael Moore. Conversely, he broke ultra-wingnut bread with the Washington Times, Fox News and political lunatic fringe wingnut extremist 'comic', Dennis Miller.
But his final years were mostly filled with hatred of liberals. After Ted Kennedy died, Breitbart almost immediately described the venerated Kennedy to the Harrisburg ‘Patriot-News, as a “villain,” a “duplicitous bastard,” a “special pile of human excrement” and a word I can’t figure out how to censor without losing its meaning. Suffice to say, his reaction was beyond critical and mean-spirited.
Given the successor Breitbart hole by the same name, it is, therefore, mighty surprising to find an account of the devastating South Carolina floods as being informative, objective and highly critical of the state’s Republican power structure. Here are some observations from a recent story from the site mixed in with other observations, demonstrating how “the cabal of no” lived up to its name, even in the most dire and deadly of circumstances.
Before getting into the meat and potatoes of the matter, you should know that at latest count, 17 people have perished in South Carolina in a natural disaster described as a “thousand-year storm.” Sadly, the first victim lost her life in my county, October 1st. Silvia Trejo Arteaga drove into an underpass and apparently misjudged the depth of the water. As her car sank, she couldn’t escape. Most of the victims drowned; at least a half-dozen were killed in auto accidents related to the weather.
My informal measuring from a ‘can in the yard’ rain gauge, yielded a total of about 8½ inches in a period of just over two days. It turns out my readings were downright benign. State Capitol, Columbia, registered 17 inches of rain in 17 hours. That’s well beyond average monsoon levels.
The Congaree river that divides Richland and Lexington counties is 13 feet above flood stage and at least three dams burst last Sunday, according to the SF Gate website. A total of 13 dams have failed at last count and numerous others were breached. Nitwit Nikki Haley, lusting to be this election’s Sarah Palin, told the assembled media, that, hey, only 13 dams had failed, calling that number “fortunate” considering there were around 2,000 dams altogether. Uh, governor, there were breaches in numerous other dams, as yet uncounted and an additional 62 are being monitored for potential failure. A total of 270 state-maintained roads and 140 bridges have been closed.
At a news conference, reporters asked Haley and other officials repeatedly about whether state spending had fallen short on dam and infrastructure maintenance. Her demeanor was described as “testy” as she evaded the question by saying “I think the analysis of this can be done after the danger of the floods passes.” Does this governor pay the least bit of attention to the actions of her state’s legislature and transportation, infrastructure and water-oriented departments? These numbers have been gathered and analyzed for years. They just haven’t been acted upon. Most area pundits have damn near got them memorized.
Continuing on the ‘Duh’ path are these words from Lindsey Graham. He estimates damage totals as high as one billion dollars and he wants federal aid to kick in right away. Of course he’s on record as having voted against such aid for a horrific disaster, Hurricane Sandy.
In order to keep his flagging, no-chance, race for the Republican pretender nomination viable, Graham patronizingly added that “the federal lifeline must be treated with care to avoid a “pork-laden monstrosity” like the feds aid package to the Northeast Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The real reason for Graham’s vote? It was a Democratic-sponsored bill and Republicans delayed its passage by 91 days. Graham was also following the lead of Cruz, who in 2013, renounced “Sandy” for its pork; and yet his state of Texas has siphoned off more Federal Emergency Management Agency funds than any other state since the beginning of 2009.
The Low country region of the state, located along the coast, is still facing potentially severe weather. That will surely add to the tragic statistics gathered to this point. All 375,000 water customers from Columbia, were told to boil their water at least a minute before drinking it. Statewide swift-water rescues will number well into the hundreds, probably exceeding a thousand, before things calm down.
An Emergency Management official pointed out that a car can be swept away in as little as a foot of water and stalled in two feet of water.
In a recent session, the state general assembly voted down a request of $400 million (Georgia just passed a similar bill at $900 million) for desperately needed infrastructure that had largely gone ignored for decades. Could Haley’s promised veto of any bill that didn’t include a reduction in the state income tax been an influence to vote no?
Then the torrential rains started falling, the 400 million looked like a bargain. Infrastructures began collapsing like proverbial dominoes. Just like the Democrats predicted it would in such a circumstance.
Republicans refused to approve the expenditures out of fear of a Haley veto and because they didn’t want to raise taxes. Their reasoning was especially ironic since the business community was pushing the hardest for the upgrades and new construction. They’d figure their way around a tax increase, later. An oil company cited the extensive travel by their trucks on potholed highways. Yes, I realize a bill passed this year would not have had much, if any, impact on the flooding, but it’s still an imperative for the safety of the population.
Nobody can deny that the state was pitifully ill-prepared for Mother Nature’s tantrum of rainfall. Time ran out before adjournment, as the house and senate even failed to reach a compromise on respective gas tax increase bills that were two cents apart. South Carolina roads are basically funded by the state’s gas tax. It hasn’t been raised since 1987. My abacus calculates that’s 28 years.
About the amount of time it’ll take to clean this mess up.

Americans Want Political Candidates Who Actually Understand Science

It’s Time For Big Corporations To Pay Their Fair Share

It’s Time For Big Corporations To Pay Their Fair Share

Bernie Sanders Is Ayn Rand’s Worst Nightmare

Bernie Sanders Busts Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO For Not Lowering Price Of Lifesaving Drug

sanders-finger
According to Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Turing Pharmaceuticals CEO Martin Shkreli sent an army of lobbyists and lawyers to Washington instead of rolling back his 5000% price increase on a lifesaving drug.
In a statement Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) blasted the CEO for breaking his promise to roll back his price gouging:
Two months ago, former hedge fund manager and Turing CEO Martin Shkreli purchased Daraprim—a drug taken by cancer and AIDS patients—and increased the price 5,000 percent overnight, to $750 per pill.
After we sent a letter condemning his blatant profiteering, Mr. Shkreli promised the American people that he would lower the price of this drug. However, instead of lowering the price as he promised, Mr. Shkreli hired an army of new Washington lobbyists and lawyers to stem the massive fallout from his actions and to stymie congressional oversight.

On behalf of the American people, we are sickened by these actions. Mr. Shkreli is holding hostage the patients who rely on this lifesaving medication, as well as the hospitals that administer it, by charging unconscionable prices for a drug on which he has a monopoly—just because he can.
Shkreli made an empty promise publicly to lower the price while privately deploying lobbyists and lawyer to make sure that Congress does not investigate his business practices. The media forgot about the story as soon as the promise was made that the price would be lowered.
The reality is that it is going to take dedicated oversight from leaders like Sen. Sanders and Rep. Cummings to make sure that Shkreli follows through and lowers the price. The behavior of Turing Pharmaceuticals is a perfect example of why the Big Pharma monopoly must be broken.
The Affordable Care Act was a big step forward for healthcare in the United States, but Americans continue to die because they can’t afford the medications that they need. Big Pharma is ruled by greed. They will never do what is right, which is liberals like Sanders and Cummings must keep fighting because this really is a matter of life and death.

Republicans Try To Distract From Their Meltdown By Releasing Edited Clinton Emails

Hillary Clinton
House Republicans are trying to distract the American people from their implosion as a caucus by releasing more edited Hillary Clinton emails.
Yahoo News reported, “Hillary Clinton used her private email account to pass along the identity of one of the CIA’s top Libyan intelligence sources, raising new questions about her handling of classified information, according to excerpts from previously undisclosed emails released Thursday by Gowdy, the Republican chairwimp of the House Select Committee on Benghazi.”
Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon responded, “Gowdy continues to release selective and misleading information about emails sent to Hillary Clinton, even as he refuses to make public any of the transcripts from the closed-door witness interviews that actually relate to Benghazi. This letter is one more example of the partisan approach taken throughout his thoroughly discredited investigation.”
It isn’t a coincidence that House Republicans are trying to distract from the fact that they are in total collapse by releasing more selectively edited information to make it appear as if Hillary Clinton broke the law.
Today’s release of edited information confirms the truth that Kevin McCarthy let slip out. The Select Committee on Benghazi is all about politics. Republicans are trying to use the committee as political cover to hide the fact that they are in complete chaos.
House Republicans can’t govern. No one competent appears to want the job of trying to lead them. The Benghazi Committee has been outed as a total sham, and all Republicans can do in response is release more bogus edited emails.
This sad and pathetic waste of taxpayer money must stop now.

Our Silly Media Allow Politicians to Get Away With Most Absurd Lies


The Truth Hurts

http://l3.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/JqAhels.wy3cPd2GdvPLEw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3NfbGVnbztmaT1maWxsO2g9MzU5O3B5b2ZmPTA7cT03NTt3PTUwMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ucomics.com/crmlu151008.gif

President Obama mocks Republican cabal

Obama mocks Republican cabal for inventing a 'new reality' where 2008 was a golden era

Yeah, It Probably Is 1998 For The Republicans, And That's Not Good For America

Yeah, It Probably Is 1998 For The Republicans, And That's Not Good For America

Seeking ‘babysitter for irrational people’

Following McCarthy’s decision to not run for Speaker of the House, a lawmaker mocked the Republican cabal by running a Craigslist ad seeking a babysitter.

Maddow Skillfully Mocks The Rpublican Cabal's Speaker of the House Screw-Up

Even Fox News Openly Admits That House Republicans Are Imploding

Image via tv-ark.orgAs House Republicans squabble over the leadership of their party in Congress, even Fox News can’t pretend that the Republican cabal isn’t in complete chaos.

McCarthy Accused Of Dropping Out Of Speaker Race Over Affair With Ellmers

Kevin McCarthy Accused Of Dropping Out Of Speaker Race Over Affair With Congresswoman (VIDEO)It seems that yet another “family values” Republican might have some ‘splainin to do.

Here are 8 perfectly horrible people the Republican cabal should consider for their new House Speaker

Alex Jones, Ann Coulter, Ted NugentUnbeknownst to the general public, but an easy trivia answer for any wingnut packing a pocket Constitution, the Speaker of the House does not have to be an elected member of the House of Representatives.

Ziggy

http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/2kZBcUA1lExM4X1Y8qvzqA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3NfbGVnbztmaT1maWxsO2g9MjkzO3B5b2ZmPTA7cT03NTt3PTMwMA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ucomics.com/zi151006.gif

Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice busted for 'joke' that says women should be beaten for talking

A Pennsylvania Supreme Court judge is under scrutiny for sending racist and misogynistic messages from his office.

Working Moms Respond To O’Reilly’s Lie That Child Hunger Is ‘A Total Lie’

Working Moms Respond To Bill O’Reilly’s Claim That Child Hunger Is ‘A Total Lie’ (VIDEO)Just a few days ago, O’Reilly one-upped the Republican cabal’s usual style of poor-shaming by flat-out saying that childhood hunger in...

The Media Is Out To Destroy Carson Because He’s A Black Wingnut

Wrong ... the "media" is not out to destroy Carson (he's doing such a fine job of it himself, why interfere with success), and if they were out to 'destroy' him it would be because he is a wingnut - the pigment of his skin has nothing to do with the fact he is batshit crazy.
Monica Crowley: The Media Is Out To Destroy Ben Carson Because He’s A Black ConservativeLeave it to Fox News hack Monica Crowley to come up with a conspiracy theory as a way to “defend” Carson’s remarks about the Umpqua Community College shooting. Right before she fear mongered about the Muslim "invasion" in Europe.

Walker Adds Another Kangaroo To Wisconsin Supreme Court

Walker Adds Another Kangaroo To Wisconsin Supreme Court

Wingnut Lunatics Want To Bomb Michigan City Thanks To Despicable Fox News “Report”

Featured image credit: Elf Sternberg via Flckr, creative commons license 2.0The rampant racism, religious bigotry, and Islamophobic hysteria of Fox fans exploded after the network aired a particularly disgusting segment about Muslims living in Dearborn, Michigan.

The NRA Will Lose Its Shit Over This Twitter Feed That Shows All US Gun Violence In Real Time

The NRA Will Lose Its Sh*t Over This Twitter Feed That Shows All US Gun Violence In Real Time (TWEETS)When they can’t use the “inner city” and “black on black crime” talking points because every red state rube that shoots his buddy over a beer is also listed, their whole game will go up in flames.

Ted Nugent To Liberal ‘Losers’: Not Having A Gun ‘Will Get You Killed’

From the "Deluded washed up never were" Department: 
Ted Nugent To Liberal ‘Losers’: Not Having A Gun ‘Will Get You Killed’
This NRA darling makes Carson’s gun comments sound smart.
Read more 

California Rejects Anti-Vaxxer Nonsense (Again)

California Rejects Anti-Vaxxer Nonsense (Again)Sorry, but no, you CAN’T risk everyone else’s lives because you know a guy whose brother’s cousin’s neighborhood’s aunt’s daughter got autism from a vaccine.

Anti-Vaxxers Pay Scientists $250K To Show Autism Link, Scientists Take Money And Prove Them Wrong

Anti-Vaxxers Pay Scientists $250K To Show Autism Link, Scientists Take Money And Prove Them Wrong
The anti-vaxxer coven is LIVID.
Read more 

Anti-LGBT Groups Absolutely Deserve Their ‘Hate Group’ Designations


Jealous Bristol Palin Whines That 10 Year-Old Girls Are More Responsible Than She Is

Image via InquistrClearly, Bristol Palin is just jealous that there are 10 year-old girls out there who are far more responsible than she is.

Republican coven chair admits: No evidence Planned Parenthood misused federal funding

“Did I look at the finances and have a hearing specifically as to the revenue portion and how they spend? Yes,” Chaffetz said during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee meeting. “Was there any wrongdoing? I didn’t find any."

The 'christian' cult that predicted last Wednesday’s world annihilation will study bible for revised deadline

An illustration of Earth exploding because of God's wrath (Shutterstock)
Chris McCann, head of the ebible fellowship, warned that the planet would be destroyed “with fire” on 7 October. This did not happen.