Political Truth.
Whether you like it or not.

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Republicans, Family Research Council and Josh Duggar Are A Match Made In Heaven

Duggar GOP
Most people have a person or thing they regard as a representative symbol of something they consider an ideal worth emulating, even if only in secret. For most Republicans Ronald Reagan is their paragon of choice, and for real 'christians', jesus christ is the idol they most revere. However, since both Reagan and jesus are long dead, America’s 'neo-christians' and Republicans consolidated a wingnut demigod and evangelical icon into one ideal to worship and regard as “a family that is the epitome of wingnut values” and something all evangelicals and Republicans can easily “connect with.” At least that is what Republican hero, ‘Quiverfull’ product, biblical spokesman, reality television star, and child molester Josh Duggar claimed in his role as executive director of the Family Research Council’s (FRC) political arm last year.
It is curious that so many Americans were surprised over the revelations that a religio-wingnut idol is guilty of molesting his sisters, or that Republicans embraced the FRC’s icon they must have at least suspected was a fraud. In fact, the close relationship between Republicans, the FRC, and Josh Duggar was a match made in heaven. The idea of being a rank hypocrite guilty of heinous acts and yet free of guilt due to the ‘saving grace of jesus christ‘ informs what it means to be a socially wingnut 'neo-christian' Republican. One of the reasons Republicans can cheat on their wives and disappear while governor, launder money as House speaker, or pressure their wife and mistress to get an abortion and still be revered in wingnut religious circles is because 'christians' are “blessed to have a jesus who forgives and forgets.” Americans are expected to do the same and there is little doubt that Duggar will be back in the Republican spotlight sooner than most Americans would like to believe.
Republicans are silent now because Duggar’s value as an evangelical electoral asset has not been lost according to some seriously sick and revealing statements of support from the religio-wingnuts that agree with Mike Huckabee that criticism of Duggar is unwarranted because jesus forgave him. After all, evangelicals contend that “boys are just curious. This story shouldn’t even be in the news. Its (sic) not current. Its (sic) done, over, and has been forgiven. None of us have any need to say anything. It was reported, and its (sic) been handeled (sic). Its (sic) over.” And, “everyone makes mistakes but our dog is a forgiving dog. He died on the cross not only for sins of that time but for future sins as well.”
Sadly, many Americans embrace that whole biblical forgiveness concept and there is little doubt Josh Duggar, his Quiverfull mother, and criminally-complicit father will be embraced with open arms by an adoring public once the molestation furor dies down; and like it or not it will die down. Americans are loath to remember even the worst sins committed by Republicans because jesus forgives all Republican transgressions. It is why Republican politicians, particularly those running for president, who embraced Josh Duggar are remaining silent because as they depended on his close relationship with the Family Research Council for electoral and legislative support before the molestation revelation, they will need his support again. In fact, except for baptist preacher and perennial presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, only the Family Research Council has made a statement about Josh Duggar’s announcement he is stepping away from his job as FRC’s legislative advisor. An important advisor to Republican presidential candidates, Republicans in Congress, and Republicans in state legislatures who are opposed to women’s reproductive rights, LGBT rights, and marriage equality.
Actually, although FRC commented on Duggar’s resignation, it did not issue a dedicated press release. Instead FRC chose to remark on Duggar’s “personal issue” on the front page of its website. It simply says, “Today Josh Duggar made the decision to resign his position as a result of previously unknown information becoming public concerning events that occurred during his teenage years. Josh believes that the situation will make it difficult for him to be effective in his current work. We believe this is the best decision for Josh and his family at this time. We will be praying for everyone involved.” The organization’s claim to fame, besides demonizing the LGBT community for what it claims are violations of biblical law, is allegedly as a devout and fierce protector of children and families. However, the ‘family values‘ organization never identified the “concerning events” leading to Duggar’s resignation. In fact, based on the claim that FRC’s primary motivation for all of its political and religious activism, its silence on Duggar’s actions is revealing as to its hypocritical inclinations; but then again the evangelical organization is praying for the Duggars and acknowledges that jesus forgave him so obviously jesus forgives FRC’s hypocrisy as well.
One of the ‘issues‘ that the Family Research Council harps on consistently, and is specifically belabored publicly by Josh Duggar is “the evil done to children in one of its worst forms;” something the forgiven molester knows well.  Over the years FRC’s well-documented history of lies and deceit include demonizing the LGBT community as an existential threat to America’s children. In a document FRC released in 2002 about the time Duggar was dealing with his “personal issue” titled “Homosexuality and Child Abuse,” (still on FRC’s website) claims “The evidence indicates that homosexual men molest boys at rates grossly disproportionate to the rates at which heterosexual men molest girls.”
FRC knows that pedophilia is not motivated by sexual orientation, and if they had taken the time to ask their executive director Josh Duggar, his birth-machine mother Michelle Duggar, or his Quiverfull patriarch dad Jim Bob Duggar, they would have understood that sexuality in no way informs the particularly heinous behavior. In 2010, FRC leader Tony Perkins and Senior Fellow Peter Sprigg complained loudly that scientists refuse to accept the evangelical assertion that there is a “direct correlation between homosexuality and pedophilia,” a claim Perkins repeated again just a year ago. And something Josh Duggar claimed restricting the rights of LGBT Americans was crucial to “protecting the well-being of children in our cities.”
There is a movement afoot to pressure The Learning Channel (TLC) to cancel the Duggar’s reality show, and although Josh Duggar’s actions are unforgivable, and his Quiverfull parent’s concealing his “personal issue” are criminal, the Duggars still have millions and millions of ardent supporters. Likely included in those supporters are Republicans who depend on the evangelical vote like most humans depend on air to survive. Based on the outrage among evangelicals that decent Americans are appalled that the “family that is the epitome of conservative values” is under fire and faces being taken off the air, it is doubtful that Josh Duggar will be out of commission for long.
If evangelicals wonder why the christian religion is losing favor among Americans, they should take a long hard look at how they easily forget truly despicable acts by their heroes in Republican ranks and religious activist movement just because their jesus forgives them. What they fail to acknowledge is that most Americans are not jesus and cannot forgive, much less forget, something as vile and twisted as an entire family covering up child molestation while preaching to Americans to hold them up as family values’ icons.
***
Editor's Note: TLC has pulled the plug on the Druggar's 'reality' show ... for now. Whether or not it is cancelled permanently is another question. 

Monday, May 25, 2015

The Daily Drift

Hey, wingnuts, yeah we're talking to you ...!  
 
The Truth Be Told is read in 203 countries around the world.
 
Republican's are too stupid to even understand Sesame Street ... !
Today is - Cookie Monster's Birthday
 
Don't forget to visit our sister blog Carolina Naturally

Some of our readers today have been in:
The Americas
Argentina - Brazil - Canada - Colombia - Mexico - Nicaragua - Puerto Rico - United States - Uruguay
Europe
Belarus - Bosnia/Herzegovina - Bulgaria - Czech Republic - Denmark - England - France - Germany  Greece - Ireland - Italy - Hungary - Latvia - Netherlands - Poland - Portugal - Romania - Russia - Scotland Slovenia - Spain - Switzerland - Ukraine - Wales
Asia
Bangladesh - China -  India - Indonesia - Japan - Jordan - Malaysia - Singapore - Sri Lanka - Thailand  United Arab Emirates
Africa
Egypt - South Africa
The Pacific
Australia - New Zealand - Philippines

Remember This, This Memorial Day

Remind every wingnut you see! 
Especially the extra stupid deluded ones who think the majority of veterans vote Republican - We Don't.

Once a Dirty Word, “Liberal” is Making a Comeback

“Liberal” is often considered such a bad word that even liberals won’t use it. Not to frame public policy, not even in reference to themselves. Unlike conservatives, who embrace their own ideological label as tightly as the last piece of pound cake, left-wingers have eschewed the term for decades.
While that trend may have been rooted in the Carter years, when Americans elected a bible-toting former Naval officer from South Georgia, it took hold during the Clinton administration. For the Democratic Leadership Council, who called themselves “new Democrats” and hailed a “Third Way,” liberal was an ugly word that lost elections. In the intervening years, words like “progressive” became en vogue.
Today, despite the disparaging context sometimes deployed by wingnuts, it appears “liberal” is making a bit of a comeback.
The percentage of self-described “liberals” is now equal to those who call themselves “conservative” on social issues. The Gallup poll also notes that percentage-wise, social wingnuttery has fallen dramatically.
American Politics Concept
“Thirty-one percent said they were socially liberal — and 31 percent said they were socially wingnut,” according to POLITICO.
The current findings “mark the lowest percentage of self-identified social wingnuts and the highest percentage of self-identified social liberals” in the 15 years since Gallup began measuring ideological perspectives in the U.S.
Americans are still more likely to say they are conservative on economic issues, but who would tell anyone that they like being taxed and spending money?
In terms of what is driving the uptick, in all likelihood, the culprit is our increasing ideological divide. Americans are exceeding polarized politically, the evidence of which is on display in every presidential election. The fact is there are few “independents” left in U.S. politics and those that claim to be are almost assuredly telling a tall tale.
I wonder what polling results will look like when liberals stop hiding under independent labels.

Six Years In And Obama Is Getting More Popular

Poll: Six Years In And Obama Is Getting More Popular
And Congress is getting less popular.
Read more 

Forged Drug Lab Results Could Lead To Release Of Thousands Inmates

NSA Surveillance Bill, Patriot Act Extension Blocked By Senate

NSA Surveillance Bill, Patriot Act Extension Blocked By SenateIn a rare 1:00 a.m. vote, both the proposed Patriot Act's short-term extension and the USA Freedom Act failed to get the necessary number of votes.

$1 Million For Strippers And Gambling Was Charged On DOD Credit Cards In Spite Of Republican ‘Reforms’

Photos from wikipedia
A report by the DOD is taking a slap at abuses by employees, but that’s just a distraction from the real story.

Bullshit Stripper

Republican Pretender Hopefuls Hamstrung By Budget Crises Of Own Making

* You say that like it's a bad thing ...

Jeb Bush Whines That Science Is ‘Arrogant,’ World Laughs In Disgust

by Allen Clifton 
The “debate” over climate change is one of the most absurd topics I write about. Here we have the overwhelming majority of the world’s scientists agreeing that humans are the leading driver of climate change, yet because many of our politicians have been bought and paid for by big oil, we’re forced to waste time dealing with complete idiots trying to perpetuate the idea that human-made climate change is just all one big liberal hoax.
But perhaps the most well-known line by many of our politicians who don’t want to seem quite like they’re denying climate change (but they sure as hell don’t want to say it’s real either), is, “Well, I’m not a scientist.” When I hear one of these politicians say that, all they’re doing is proudly showing off their stupidity.
Just ponder that for a few seconds. When presented with scientific facts that have been determined by scientists, their response is, “Well, I’m not a scientist.” Well, guess who is a scientist? The person who provided the scientific information you just dismissed.
It’s all just absolutely absurd.
Well, Jeb Bush decided to take this anti-climate change rhetoric a step further by calling scientists who overwhelmingly believe humans are driving climate change “arrogant.”
“For the people to say the science is decided on this is really arrogant, to be honest with you,” Bush said. “It’s this intellectual arrogance that now you can’t have a conversation about it, even. The climate is changing. We need to adapt to that reality.”
He also went on to say that he doesn’t view climate change as our biggest threat. I guess in his mind terrorism is a much bigger threat than not having a planet capable of sustaining human life. Then again, I guess that is the ultimate way to rid the world of terror, right? No human beings?
Though there’s a huge amount of irony in Bush’s statement. Here we have someone who’s not at all qualified to determine anything about climate change on his own, arrogantly telling those who’ve devoted countless hours and much of their lives to science that they are the arrogant ones for using science to come to the conclusion that humans are causing climate change.
I think Bill Nye says it best when he talks about people who deny science often using scientific uncertainty to create irrational doubt. Just because scientists can’t exactly predict how the climate will change, what timeline we’re looking at or what precisely is going to happen doesn’t mean that their determination that humans are causing climate change isn’t accurate.
Then again, none of this is really about the science behind climate change, but rather the money flowing into these politicians from big oil companies. Because it’s not a coincidence that practically every policy that Republicans support as it relates to energy, climate, the environment, drilling or regulations in general almost always favors big oil.

John Boehner Pathetically Tries to Exploit Death of Navy Seal to Blame Obama for Bush’s Mistakes

by Allen Clifton
When it comes to Republicans, they’re nothing if not predictable. Since the days of Ronald Reagan their polices from top to bottom have essentially remained the same – though socially they’ve definitely shifted to the far right. They’re essentially a broken record of propaganda and nonsense.
And over the last six years, when it comes to President Obama, they’ve essentially had two strategies:
Oppose everything he supports. Blame him for anything negative.
Hell, they’re even trying to blame the chaos in Iraq on him – even though it was George W. Bush who signed the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the Iraqi government requiring all U.S. troops had to be out of Iraq by 2009.
Well, John Boehner took it to a whole other disgusting level yesterday on Twitter when he essentially said that a woman’s son died for nothing since Ramadi has now fallen into the hands of ISIS:
Speaker John Boehner @SpeakerBoehner
It was a mistake for Pres Obama to abandon gains in #Iraq. He must not make the same mistake in #Afghanistan. #ISIL 
The story he linked is about a mother who wrote a very angry letter to General Martin Dempsey after he said that losing the Iraqi city wouldn’t be a huge setback in the fight against ISIS. The reason why his comments were so upsetting is because her son, Navy Seal Marc Alan Lee, died in Ramadi fighting in the Iraq War. She took these remarks as General Dempsey basically saying people like her son died for nothing.
I understand her grief and anger, but I feel that in this case it’s misguided. She’s upset that Ramadi felt into ISiS’s hands, but what’s her solution? To send more sons, daughters, mothers and fathers there to possibly die as well? Instead of being upset at those who are handling the ISIS uprising now, her anger should really be directed at those who sent her son (along with over 4,400 other Americans) to die in Iraq in a war based on lies.
But I felt Boehner’s tweet was completely inappropriate and flat-out deplorable. He’s using this woman’s tragic loss as a way to take a cheap shot at the president, insinuating that it’s his fault that her son died in a city now controlled by Islamic radicals. The truth is, it was Bush’s agreement with the Iraqi government - and Iraq’s desire to rid themselves of the American military – which is what ultimately led to the Middle Eastern nation spiraling into the chaos that we’re currently witnessing.
So, I guess Boehner feels more Americans need to die to avenge the death of her son? Apparently he feels that other mothers, fathers, sons and daughters should experience what it’s like to write similar letters in the future as they grieve the loss of a loved one? Is that the House Speaker’s “solution” to this?
That’s what it seems like to me.
But what this ultimately shows is that there really aren’t any depths to which Republicans will not stoop to levy some kind of petty partisan attack on President Obama – even if that means exploiting the tragic death of someone’s son.

Ted Cruz Brags About Beating A Homeless Man In Court

Watch Ted Cruz Brag About Beating A Homeless Man In Court (VIDEO)
To be fair, it doesn’t take lot to impress a room full of christian fascists.

Non Sequitur

http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/Lq57wok__C1pLk4bSXSpDw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Zmk9ZmlsbDtoPTE5NjtweW9mZj0wO3E9NzU7dz02MDA-/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/ucomics.com/nq150523.gif

Crazy Alabama Supreme Court Justice Says dog’s Law Is Enshrined In ‘Pursuit Of Happiness’

Image via screen capture The Declaration of Independence contains these words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed...

Wingnuts Love This Video Of Ted Cruz Trashing A Reporter Who Asked Him About Gay Rights

Conservatives Love This Video Of Ted Cruz Trashing A Reporter Who Asked Him About Gay Rights (VIDEO) Well it had to happen sometime; Ted Cruz has gone completely insane. Cruz talked to reporters at a hotel in Beaumont, Texas. A reporter with KMBT, asked...

Religio-Wingnuts Keep Peddling Insanity, Saying Social Issues Here Are Causing Worldwide Chaos

Image by Rika Christensen/Liberalistics
The religio-wingnuts will apparently stop at nothing to convince us that Obama’s push for LGBT equality is going to destroy the whole world.

Wingnuts Falling All Over Themselves To Defend Child Molester Josh Duggar Because He’s Better Than LIBERALS, Dammit

Conservatives Falling All Over Themselves To Defend Kid-Toucher Josh Duggar Because He’s Better Than LIBERALS, D*mmit (SCREENSHOTS)Wingnuts are falling all over themselves to excuse Josh Duggar for abusing his sisters and other children — because at least he’s not a LIBERAL!

Hypocrite Mike Huckabee Criticized Obama’s Parenting But Supports Child Molester Josh Duggar

Hypocrite Mike Huckabee criticized President and First Lady Obama’s parenting because they allow their daughters to listen to Beyonce, but he is supporting Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, the parents who covered up their son’s acts of sexual abuse.
In an interview with People, Huckabee criticized President and First Lady Obama’s parenting because they allow their daughters to listen to Beyonce. Huckabee said, “That’s the whole point. I don’t understand how on one hand they can be such doting parents and so careful about the intake of everything – how much broccoli they eat and where they go to school and making sure they’re kind of sheltered and shielded from so many things – and yet they don’t see anything that might not be suitable for either a preteen or a teen in some of the lyrical content and choreography of Beyoncé, who has sort of a regular key to the door” of the White House.”
In Huckabee’s view, the Obamas are bad parents because they let their daughters listen to Beyonce, but apparently Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar cover up of their son’s molestation of female family members is more in line with his kind of parenting.
While defending Josh Duggar, Huckabee wrote, “Janet and I want to affirm our support for the Duggar family. Josh’s actions when he was an underage teen are as he described them himself, ‘inexcusable,’ but that doesn’t mean ‘unforgivable.’ He and his family dealt with it and were honest and open about it with the victims and the authorities. No purpose whatsoever is served by those who are now trying to discredit Josh or his family by sensationalizing the story. Good people make mistakes and do regrettable and even disgusting things. The reason that the law protects disclosure of many actions on the part of a minor is that the society has traditionally understood something that today’s blood-thirsty media does not understand—that being a minor means that one’s judgement is not mature. No one needs to defend Josh’s actions as a teenager, but the fact that he confessed his sins to those he harmed, sought help, and has gone forward to live a responsible and circumspect life as an adult is testament to his family’s authenticity and humility. Those who have enjoyed revealing this long ago sins in order to discredit the Duggar family have actually revealed their own insensitive bloodthirst, for there was no consideration of the fact that the victims wanted this to be left in the past and ultimately a judge had the information on file destroyed—not to protect Josh, but the innocent victims. Janet and I love Jim Bob and Michelle and their entire family. They are no more perfect a family than any family, but their Christian witness is not marred in our eyes because following Christ is not a declaration of our perfection, but of HIS perfection. It is precisely because we are all sinners that we need His grace and His forgiveness. We have been blessed to receive God’s love and we would do no less than to extend our love and support for our friends. In fact, it is such times as this, when real friends show up and stand up. Today, Janet and I want to show up and stand up for our friends. Let others run from them. We will run to them with our support.”
In Huckabee world, the Obamas deserve criticism for raising good kids that are never in trouble while the Duggars deserve support for covering up and hiding their son’s acts of sexual abuse.
Mike Huckabee’s hypocrisy deserves to be called out. Many conservatives held up the Duggars as their vision of the ideal family while spewing hatred towards the Obamas. The Duggars covered up sexual abuse. What they did wasn’t just bad parenting, it was criminal.
Mike Huckabee owes President Obama an apology.

The Duggars’ Homeschool Curriculum Calls Sexual Abuse A Gift

Unbelievable – The Duggars’ Alleged Homeschool Curriculum Calls Sexual Abuse A Gift (IMAGE) The Duggars and their 19 kids have always seemed more like a cult than a family. They are hyper-religious. They are anti-gay, obviously anti-birth control...

Mega-Dump

1 in 4 renters use half their pay for rent
the problem with journalism is journalism
DEA agent & employee arrested for running a strip club
how austerity killed the humanities
the pathology of the rich white family
barbie quits her job at seaworld
strange radio signals that baffled astronomers for 17 years turned out to be their microwave oven
Monsanto paid internet trolls to attack activists
the military under-reports sexual assaults
Indiana cult plans pot smoking service to test religious freedom
Lindsey Graham: "i blame Obama for Iraq, not Bush"
Cheney thought al Qaeda was bluffing
Norway will be the first country to switch off FM radio in 2017
sick and tired workers: an epidemic
capitalism could not exist without slavery in the developing world
investing in Amtrak could save tens of thousands of lives
how for-profit prisons became the biggest lobby nobody talks about
why birds don't crash
Canadians are using the prime minister's name as a swear word
overworked America: 12 charts that will make your blood boil
bat-winged dinosaur fossil found in china
Rand Paul is fighting for your privacy -- unless you're a woman
Mike Huckabee vs. the modern world
developers are considering building a mall at the grand canyon - leave your opinion here
urban ants love junk food
5 horrible ideas the republicans will never let die
Gallup: most Americans think college is not affordable
help Baltimore by restoring voting rights to ex-felons
10 facts about people of color and the criminal justice system
Coors sued for selling blue moon as a craft beer
biologist report first wild bison births in Alaska in a century
it's David v. Goliath in Seattle as kayakers protest shell oil
workers rally against Wells Fargo corporate greed
the 40 hour work week is a thing of the past
Alex  Jones is actually dangerous
voting machines in Virginia are easy to hack
the new jersey AG's office accidentally recommended a sex line
newly discovered frog species looks just like kermit
36% of non-retirees expect to rely on social security
about 150 u.s. workers are killed on the job every day
challenging American exceptionalism 
Michael Brown shooting witness: police are harrassing my family
why gay marriage is winning, but abortion is losing
archeologists find a mass grave of medieval bodies under a parisian supermarket
Utah fracking firm hires BP exec involved in deepwater gulf explosion
was the baltimore curfew legal?
solar future isn't just likely - it's inevitable
pew research: America is becoming less christian, more secular
epic drought: lake mead hits historic low
have we reached the point of no return on climate change?
Entrepreneur files suit claiming Uber stole his idea
republicans account for most cases of voter fraud
in terms of political trends, liberals just do better
will robots and algorithms permanently replace humans in the work force?
the "obscenocracy" of American politics
study shows atheists have higher IQ's and more self-esteem than religious people
millionaire carly fiorina took 4 years to pay staffers from her last campaign
jeb bush would have invaded iraq just like his brother
constitutional conservatives are neo-confederates
today's gop is the party of jefferson, not lincoln
the rise of the new black radicals
chinese funeral strippers
arizona domestic violence victims die from gunshot at twice the rate of the u.s.
time before nipples
10 more accurate names for the pro-life movement
Uber, but unionized
what's behind the Dyson vs. west dust-up?
7 ways racism affects children
is the tide turning against water privatization?
the woman who filed the brief against homosexuality has her lawsuit dismissed
do feed the trolls
the pre-school to prison pipeline
13% of Americans think they might lose their jobs
and 1/3 of Americans have less than $1000 saved towards retirement
the religious breakdown of same-sex marriage support
the payday loan crisis: borrow $100, owe 36 times that
the supreme court:  ignoring the constitution
there's a scientific consensus on guns - and the NRA won't like it
Ex-CIA says GOP lied to the public about Benghazi
we have too many kids
7 lost American slang words
the inhumane seat re-design that airlines might soon use
if Democrats acted like republicans
states hostile to abortion are also hostile to women's equal pay
the hidden FM radio inside your pocket, and why you can't use it
senior citizen files hand-written lawsuit on behalf of god against homosexuals
5 lies about the estate tax
10 diseases medical marijuana could have on impact on
a guide to campaigns, pacs and super-pacs
why liberals are more intelligent than wingnuts 
Hilliary's appeal survives recent scrutiny according to poll
Baltimore police wrongfully kept 40 minors in jail during Freddie Gray protests
survey:  100% of french women experienced sexual harassment on the subway
support for the death penalty at its lowest in 40 years
the Irish are fighting back
economists think economy is the coolest of social sciences
the lost chapter from a wrinkle in time
TSA trained Disney and Seaworld how to spot terrorists
Garland, Texas is a hotbed of anti-muslim bigotry
if you're born poor, you'll probably stay that way
Texas high school finds that abstinence program is a great way to spread chlamydia
50% of Americans are very or moderately concerned about their finances
climate change threatens 2/3 of rabbit species
but wingnut extremism is still a threat at home
a rising tide sinks all boats
a Baltimore policeman admits to plotting to oust the mayor 
Michigan prosecutor resigns after posting "shoot them" comment about Baltimore protestors on facebook
Germany is the tell-tale heart of America's drone war
study finds anti-abortion attitudes linked to misogyny
maple syrup fights superbug bacteria
your pain reliever may be diminishing your joy as well
wall street's scheme to own American education
the cost of gun violence
seeing "age of ultron" this weekend? our fear of a robot apocalypse has been around for 200 years
Americans subsidize McDonald's and wal-mart's low wages to the tune of $153 billion a year
Bernie Sanders outraised cruz, rubio and paul in the first 24 hours of his campaign
scientists may have an Alzheimer's break through
ALEC exposed
cutting through the police propaganda in Baltimore
U.S. is 'world leader' in child poverty
the culture of violence among police
is global warming a greater threat than terrorism?
david simon, creator of the wire, hmocide and the corner, on baltimore's anguish
"suicide hotline.  please hold."
the NRA dictates gun violence research
the remarkable persistence of crackpot economic theories of the gop
dispatch from Baltimore
sea world's ads about whale life spans in captivity are false
Gallup: Hillary Clinton is the most admired woman in the world 13 years in a row
bare knuckled boxing is safer than gloved fights
poll finds gay people more popular than evangelicals
today is worker safety memorial day
why the middle class is doing even worse than you think
how corporate greed invented christian America
walmart sued for wage theft
last Saturday: the night TV news died
horrible: pets killed over unpaid fines
science museums urged to cut ties with the kochs
the world's happiest people are in Latin America
the rush to humiliate the poor
massive underground settlement discovered in turkey may have housed 20,000 or more
17 states where you're more likely to get killed by guns than a car crash
13 ways republicans have declared war on Americans
18 to 29 things you didn't know about young workers
11 natural wonders to see before they disappear

Sunday, May 24, 2015

The Daily Drift

Hey, wingnuts, yeah we're talking to you ...!  
 
The Truth Be Told is read in 203 countries around the world.
 
Republican Lindsey Graham's Tiara ... !
Today is - International Tiara 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 - Colombia - Costa Rica - Guatemala - Mexico - Nicaragua - Paraguay Puerto Rico - United States
Europe
Bosnia/Herzegovina - Bulgaria - Czech Republic - England - France - Germany - Greece - Hungary
Ireland - Italy - Latvia - Netherlands - Norway - Poland - Portugal - Romania - Russia - Scotland - Spain  Switzerland - Ukraine - Wales
Asia
China - India - Indonesia - Japan - Malaysia - Oman - Pakistan - Saudi Arabia - Singapore - Sri Lanka  Thailand - Vietnam
Africa
South Africa
The Pacific
Australia - Philippines

America Is A Liberal Nation

obama and congressional liberals kill corporate tax cutsFor the first time since polling began in 1999, Gallup found that there are more social liberals in the United States than social conservatives.
Gallup reported that the number of respondents who called themselves social liberals has increased to 31%, while the number of self-identified social conservatives has fallen to 30%. The number of Democrats who refer to themselves as social liberals jumped from 47% in 2014 to 53% in 2015. The number of Republicans who call themselves socially conservative has declined from 60% in 2014 to 53% in 2015.
Democrats who used to call themselves social moderates are moving to the left while Republicans are experiencing a decline in social conservatives. The polling matches the overall trend in the country. America has moved left on same-sex marriage, equal pay for women, immigration, and climate change. Issues like the minimum wage and taxes have become both social and economic causes.
The United States is moving to the left. It has been inching leftward on social issues for decades, and the leftward trend is accelerating.
Republicans are nationally unpopular because they are out of step with the rest of the country. One of the main issues within the Republican Party is that candidates continue to pander to an increasing out of touch and shrinking base of social conservatives. The Democratic shift to the left on social issues is politically reflected in Hillary Clinton’s early moves to stake out liberal social positions after announcing her 2016 presidential candidacy.
The nation’s movement left is real and growing. The United States is becoming a socially liberal country, and Republican opponents of these changes are facing consistent defeat as our national leftward social evolution moves forward.

The next American revolution has already begun

Arab Spring protest, via Wikimedia Commons Americans are overwhelmingly dissatisfied our country’s political system, and it’s starting to show
The next American revolution has already begun

The Blue Wall exists for a reason ...

Electoral College 2012, via Wikimedia CommonsThe Electoral College is a lagging indicator of problems with the Republican’s platform.
The Republicans built it

Republicans Assume Voters Are Way More 'Conservative' Than They Are

Study: Lawmakers Assume Voters Are Way More Conservative Than They Are
That's why it's important to let them know otherwise.

Behind the Scenes at CNN’s 2nd-Tier Presidential Debate

“The CNN Republican primary debate on Sept. 16 will be divided into two parts featuring two different sets of candidates: those who rank in the top 10 according to public polling, and the remaining candidates who meet a minimum threshold of 1 percent in public polling, the On Media blog has learned.” -Politico, May 20.
INT. GREEN ROOM.
A screen shows the top-tier candidates on a stage during a presidential debate. The word “MUTED” appears across the bottom of the screen. the camera pulls back to reveal RICK SANTORUM, CARLY FIORINA, BOBBY JINDAL, and GEORGE PATAKI spread across the room on chairs and couches. All of them look forlorn, heads down. LINDSAY GRAHAM is asleep in a chair, snoring softly.
SANTORUM
I can’t believe Trump made it in. Trump!
FIORINA
I can’t believe I didn’t.
JINDAL
Not with this again, Carly.
FIORINA
We’re not going to beat Hillary Clinton with 10 men on the stage!
PATAKI
I just want to talk about the issues, dammit. Doesn’t anyone care about the issues?
JINDAL (in a whisper, to SANTORUM)
Who is that guy?
SANTORUM
No one knows.
JINDAL
Hey did you guys read my op-ed in the New York Times?
SANTORUM, FIORINA, PATAKI (simultaneously)
Yes, Bobby.
JINDAL
OK because I have some copies if anyone needs it.
FIORINA
No one needs it.
SANTORUM (staring at the TV)
Look at that Mike Huckabee. Smug bastard. Why does he get to be up there and not me? I won Iowa more recently than he did.
JINDAL
Ben Carson thinks he’s so great, just because he operated on some kids’ brains. I have a biology degree, you know!
PATAKI
I don’t see what’s so great about any of them. I was governor of New York! I worked with Democrats! I was an effective leader!
FIORINA
Wait, you’re Rudy Giuliani?
PATAKI
HE WAS THE MAY–you know what, who cares?
FIORINA
Isn’t that your campaign slogan?
JINDAL
Zing!
SANTORUM, FIORINA, PATAKI (simultaneously)
Shut it, Bobby.
A door opens, and a PRODUCTION ASSISTANT enters, carrying a clipboard and wearing a headset.
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
We’re wrapping up the real debate, um, I mean the first part of the debate now. We’ll need all of you on stage in two minutes.
PATAKI
Do you think I could get some water?
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
I’m sorry, who are you? You know this is a restricted area right?
PATAKI
Never mind.
FIORINA (patting PATAKI‘S shoulder)
Someone should fire her.
GRAHAM (awaking with a start)
Bomb them! Bomb them back into the middle ages!
JINDAL
Christ, there he goes again.
SANTORUM
Let’s get out of here.
SANTORUM, JINDAL, FIORINA, and PATAKI file out of the room as GRAHAM nods back off to sleep.