Re-Education

The Saudi's have been on a prison building spree for Jihadi's. Here's the message:

"The message they are given is that violent jihad is only permissible in Islam if it has the approval of the state and the authority of the jihadist's parents. Going off to fight the Soviets in Afghanistan in the 1980s, they are told, was permissible but going to fight in Iraq today is not."

A very effective message indeed I am sure for people who want to overthrow the government.

The story.

The Free World

Israel banned the Beatles in 65'! Who knew?

Death Watch Religion

Be not afraid. Tom Cruise will save us all! The BBC having some fun at the expense of Hollywood, L Ron Hubbard, Tommy C, dare I say America!

Easy Genocide Talk

Racist assumptions and genocidal banter as normal discussion in America. Chris Matthews and Ann Coulter chat about destroying "Islamic society" and how we need to get this war into high gear. The banality of evil. I think Matthews is worse because Coulter is a bigot and a neo-fascist who believes what she is saying, Matthews on the other hand is doing it to appear fair and for the ratings.

Che: The Shirt (The Movie)

Che takes a stand!

Karl Rove Style

The master Karl Rove attacks in the name of analysis. Rove uses the rival candidates' words while adding a few nuggets like Obama is "lazy," a trash talker, and sometimes treats his job like a "pickup basketball game." What else would a black man do?

Repubs Implode

The three legs of the Republican stool, the plutocracy, religious fanatics/bigots and imperialist/nationalists are moving in different directions and its fun to watch. For pure entertainment I am split, three ways, on who I would most enjoy as the Republican candidate. The plutocracy's man, Mitt Romney, keeps counting his silver and somehow thinks this is working for him. His quoffe and $4000 suits are a gay man's dream but christ, could this guy be more of a dick? Now, Nixon was probably the biggest phallus ever elected but he did have a populist appeal, so did Reagan, but Romney seems to wallow in his country club pedigree and gilded mic.
The imperialists's pilot, not shot down and tortured after New Hampshire, John "Hanoi Hilton" McCain, has never been so self-righteous and ready for blood as evidenced by last night's speech which was delivered in such as stilted way that I was surprised the grampa did not get noticed as a senior and questioned on it. And let us not forget the shrinking face in the crowd and my favorite candidate, in either party, Mike Huckabee. MH is the making of the last 30 years of fundi organizing in the party. The creationist/pro-life/gay hating fundis have wanted one of their own for years and they finally have him. The only problem is now the party that helped them coalesce is embarrassed that the good ol' boy's good ol' boy is getting tranction. The problem is that many of the fundis are in the working class and Huckabee is speaking their lingo as a right wing populist but the party's leaders most represent the corporate set. Fun stuff.

Two Buck Huck

Huckabee plays the class card, I say good for him but what's his program? On the plus end he says we need to be more compassionate towards criminals-he is against three strikes and is an advocate of re-rehabilitation (he actually runs a rehab house), supports parole, he talks about about a drug and alcohol problem not a "crime" problem and he opposes the absurd "hate crime" laws which punish thought crimes. He sends his kids to public schools and thinks the plutocrats should do the same. He also has criticized the GOP for its racial code rhetoric and got 48% of the black vote in Arkansas because he has talked about being inclusive towards all.

Now in reality even though he talks a good game, and has delivered on the edges, his program is one of inequality.

He's against a progressive income tax, his program is a sale tax,
Opposses gay equality-he is a fundamentalist and thinks them an "abomination,"
He is for the death penalty because the bible says its ok, I wonder what his position is on eating shellfish and pork?,
Opposses 2 state solution in Palestine, I suppose it might prolong the day of Armaggedan!,
Likes the idea of bombing Iran and occupying Iraq,
Opposes univeral health coverage and socialized medicine,
Thinks Wal-Mart is the greatest invention since Jesus turned wine into water.

His program is horribly regressive in the end even though around the edges he symbolically knows that his party is made up of a bunch of bigots and people who got theirs or of people who think when they get theirs to hell with the rest.


Check out Huckabee on the issues.

I Heart Huckabee

It looks like for non-evengelical Republicans, except for Chuck Norris types, a Clinton win is the best of all worlds. Not that Obama is a radical or anything but he is certainly less predictable than Hillary, particularly when it comes to the war machine.

The Clintons looked hackish. They had mad Madeline, Wesley Clarke and Bill in the background. She pandered to the unions and spoke in pablum. Huckabee was clearly from a different planet. A populist in the Republican party. A dude that speaks like Gary Bauer will have a limited reach, he's a serious reactionary when it comes to social concerns. And what of his organization nationwide? That's the question for Obama also but he has the benefit if lots of money from the limousine liberals.

BO and Huckabee were the most visionary in victory. Barack looked Kennedyesque. His kids did not look propish, even though he trotted them out there, they waved like John Jr. and he had the masses behind him, even though there was a barbudo in the back. BO doesn't seem to scare los blancos. He gave a great speech. The question is whether the hillbillary organization and money can win it for her in the long.

David Brooks' take.

Greatest line so far in the coverage:

"-Josh Marshall on Ron Paul, whom Fox News is excluding from its New Hampshire debate this weekend: “Seems Ron Paul has pretty much smoked Rudy in Iowa. With about 2/3 reporting, Paul’s got about 10% and Rudy’s bringing up the rear with a healthy 4%. Will Fox let him debate?”