Back by popular demand - well, six people may not seem like a lot to you, but around my neck of the woods it's practically a mob - Idiots' Delight makes its "triumphant" return to these vaunted pages, with one small, but not insignificant, change. Instead of the usual monthly segment, I've decided to make it a semi-annual feature.
The reason for the switch was quite simple, really. Maintaining a monthly installment of dimwitted behavior perpetrated mostly by the same nincompoops was becoming exhausting. The six-month format affords me the opportunity to gather up all the loose nuts as it were in one neat little pile, while allowing for the sprinkling in of the occasional neophyte.
Anyway, let’s get on with it, shall we. I’ve only got so many ant-acid tablets left.
Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff whining about Paul Krugman. The austerity twins really have their panties in a bunch. Seems our dear friend had the audacity to not only call them out over their claim that deficits actually stunt economic growth, but then proceeded to back it up with something equally unusual for them: facts. Who the hell does he think he is, an economist? Maybe Krugman shouldn’t be such a “sore winner.” Some people don’t like being proven wrong.
Actually, the real crime here is that an entire continent is paying for their mistake and the United States damn near drove down the same road because of Dumb and Dumber and their half-witted disciples. Far from bellyaching, these two wanna be economists should just shut up and close down their shell game before any more innocent people get hurt.
Steve King’s immigration amendment. I swear the GOP could fuck up a sunset. While Senate Democrats and Republicans are crafting an immigration bill designed to help Republicans win more Latino voters and not become the next Whig Party, Dr. Strangelove introduced an amendment that would not only end the program which allows undocumented youth to stay and work in the United States, but prohibit the Department of Homeland Security from having the discretion to delay the deportations of undocumented immigrants who are considered “low-priority.” Not surprisingly, it passed, mainly along party lines, 224 to 201.
Also not surprising was the condemnation that King and House Republicans received from Hispanic groups over the measure which has zero chance of making it through the Senate. Defiant to the end, King said this is “the first test of the 113th Congress in the House of Representatives on immigration.” Yep, and you just flunked it, genius!
James O’Keefe forks over $100,000 to Acorn employee. How’s this for poetic justice? Remember that video about an alleged pimp and prostitute who visited an Acorn office? Yeah, the one Andrew Breitbart put up on his website. Well you’ll never guess what happened. Turns out the employee, Juan Carlos Vera, called the cops after O’Keefe and his accomplice left. Far from being complicit in the alleged sex-trafficking plot, Vera was “playing along.”
Of course after the video aired on Fox News, Vera was fired, Acorn ended up being defunded by Congress and the whole thing supposedly went away. Except not quite. Vera sued O’Keefe for damages, “arguing that he was taped without consent in violation of state law, and portrayed untruthfully.” O’Keefe eventually agreed via a settlement to pay Vera $100,000 and to issue an apology. A small price to pay for basically ruining someone’s life. What a scum bag.
House Republicans vote for the 37th time to repeal Obamacare. Well, I’ll give them this much, they’re nothing if persistent. Over the last two plus years, the GOP-led House has spent over $52 million trying to repeal a law they know can’t be repealed. But damned if they don’t keep trying. And you’ll never guess what lame excuse Speaker John Boehner came up with to hold this latest futile attempt. “We’ve got 70 new members who have not had the opportunity to vote on the President’s health care law. Frankly, they’ve been asking for an opportunity to vote on it, and we’re going to give it to them.”
Einstein was right. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.
The Department of Justice targeting the AP and James Rosen. As I have mentioned on more than one occasion, Eric Holder went way over the line here. Neither the Associated Press nor James Rosen did anything to warrant the treatment they received at the hands of the DOJ. To even consider a reporter a co-conspirator for merely doing his job is beneath contempt and Holder should know that. Claims by some that the AP isn’t in the same league as, say, The Washington Post or The New York Times and that Rosen works at Fox News and that therefore it’s really no big deal are irrelevant and besides the point. You don’t get to choose a hierarchy when it comes to freedom of the press. Period.
The truth is that Obama’s justice department has gone after more whistleblowers than any other administration before it. As Jon Stewart mockingly noted, “They believe in freedom of the press, just not freedom of speech for people who might talk to the press.”
Conducting an internal review of policy is all fine and dandy, but it may be a case of too little too late. The damage has been done. The best course of action would be for Holder to step down as Attorney General. If he won’t, then Obama needs to ask for his resignation.
Sean Hannity’s flip-flop on the NSA surveillance program. Mr. Constitution has been absolutely beside himself ever since the NSA story broke. Seems Sean thinks that this is a serious breach of the 4th amendment, warning his audience that “anarchy and tyranny will follow.”
Unfortunately for old motor mouth, that’s not what he said back in 2006 when George Bush was in the White House. Back then he said this of the NSA program: ” It’s staggering to me we are even debating the use of these techniques in this country even at this time.”
What’s staggering to me is how Hannity hasn’t exploded yet from all the bullshit that’s inside of him. I guess Barack Obama must’ve “colored” his perception of what constitutes a violation of our basic rights. I would call this buffoon a hypocrite, but that would be doing a disservice to the millions of hypocrites around the world.
Paul Ryan explains why he and Mitt Romney lost in 2012. Speaking of people who just don’t get it, Bud Fox still can’t wrap his head around why he and Gordon Gekko didn’t defeat Emperor Obama last year. Judging by the speech he gave at this year’s Faith and Freedom conference in Washington D.C., I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for an epiphany any time soon. Denial isn’t just a river in Egypt.
We are seeing the assault on our liberties. We are seeing what happens when you give so much power to a handful of bureaucrats, and what they do to abuse our religious freedom. . . The left likes to think that we are the fringe. Guess what? You and I, we are the mainstream When you take a look at what’s happening, the goal we have in front of us is to reclaim the center of our politics.
The center? Today’s GOP would have to stretch just to find the right margin on the page. To paraphrase Churchill, seldom has a political party done so much to alienate so many. Lincoln and Eisenhower must be spinning in their graves.
Sandra Day O’Connor regrets Bush v. Gore. Now she tells us. Seriously, more than 12 years after she cast the 5th vote that basically stopped the Florida recount, thus handing George Bush the 2000 presidential election, O’Connor thinks she and the Court made a mistake. “Maybe the court should have said, ‘We’re not going to take it, goodbye.’”
YA THINK?!
Hindsight may be 20/20, but the ramifications of that decision were incalculable. The recount, had it been allowed to proceed, more than likely would’ve awarded the state and with it the election to Al Gore. The next eight years, which brought us 9/11, the Iraq War, and the worst economic upheaval since the Great Depression, might have been completely averted but for a premature and ill-conceived rush to judgment.
Candy Crowley’s “Gut” interview of Darrell Issa. In what was otherwise a pretty decent interview of Oversight Committee Chair Darrell Issa, Crowley asked what might well be the lamest question ever on cable news. “What does your gut tell you?”
First of all, it’s not Darrell Issa’s gut that I’m worried about; it’s his motives. Considering that he has spent the better part of the last two years trying to pin everything conceivable on this president, a thorough investigative journalist would’ve been all over his specious charges and demanded proof to those charges. That she allowed the “paid liar” remark to go unchallenged is reprehensible.
Here’s what my gut tells me, Candy. Next time you find yourself interviewing a politician with an obvious ax to grind, leave your gut home and concentrate on your job.
Honorable Mention: Michele Bachmann. I would be remiss if I didn’t publicly acknowledge one of this feature’s frequent flyers. Michele Bachmann has earned so many bonus miles, she could take a trip to the moon and back and still have change left over. Her recent decision not to seek reelection in 2014 amid rumors of ethics violations during her failed 2012 presidential bid, will no doubt sadden a great many late-night comics, not to mention all of us on the Left who have cherished every misstep and boneheaded statement during her four terms in Congress.
From her infamous McCarthy-like interview with Chris Matthews to her legendary Lexington and Concord moment all the way to her sprinting from a Dana Bash microphone, Bachmann could fill an encyclopedia with all her gaffs. I must admit, I am going to miss the birdbrain.
But fear not progressives, I’m certain the GOP will find someone to fill her shoes. Already I hear that Louie Gohmert has personally promised to make one more extra outrageous statement a month to pick up some of the slack. There’s never a shortage of crazy in the cuckoo’s nest.
Links: http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/26/reinhart-and-rogoff-are-not-happy/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/08/steve-kings-amendment-latino_n_3407798.html
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/03/andrew-breitbart-and-james-okeefe-ruined-him-and-now-he-gets-100-000/273841/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/16/house-obamacare_n_3288283.html
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/jon-stewart-tears-apart-obama-doj-for-prosecuting-whistleblowers-and-potheads-but-not-bankers/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/12/sean-hannity-nsa_n_3431346.html
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/06/paul-ryan-explains-gops-2012-loss-92803.html#ixzz2WItZBmvQ
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/29/sandra-day-o-connor_n_3177322.html
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/darrell-issa-accuses-obama-administration-irs-targeting-directly-ordered-from-washington/
http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/why-michele-bachmann-wont-run-office-
The reason for the switch was quite simple, really. Maintaining a monthly installment of dimwitted behavior perpetrated mostly by the same nincompoops was becoming exhausting. The six-month format affords me the opportunity to gather up all the loose nuts as it were in one neat little pile, while allowing for the sprinkling in of the occasional neophyte.
Anyway, let’s get on with it, shall we. I’ve only got so many ant-acid tablets left.
Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff whining about Paul Krugman. The austerity twins really have their panties in a bunch. Seems our dear friend had the audacity to not only call them out over their claim that deficits actually stunt economic growth, but then proceeded to back it up with something equally unusual for them: facts. Who the hell does he think he is, an economist? Maybe Krugman shouldn’t be such a “sore winner.” Some people don’t like being proven wrong.Actually, the real crime here is that an entire continent is paying for their mistake and the United States damn near drove down the same road because of Dumb and Dumber and their half-witted disciples. Far from bellyaching, these two wanna be economists should just shut up and close down their shell game before any more innocent people get hurt.
Steve King’s immigration amendment. I swear the GOP could fuck up a sunset. While Senate Democrats and Republicans are crafting an immigration bill designed to help Republicans win more Latino voters and not become the next Whig Party, Dr. Strangelove introduced an amendment that would not only end the program which allows undocumented youth to stay and work in the United States, but prohibit the Department of Homeland Security from having the discretion to delay the deportations of undocumented immigrants who are considered “low-priority.” Not surprisingly, it passed, mainly along party lines, 224 to 201.Also not surprising was the condemnation that King and House Republicans received from Hispanic groups over the measure which has zero chance of making it through the Senate. Defiant to the end, King said this is “the first test of the 113th Congress in the House of Representatives on immigration.” Yep, and you just flunked it, genius!
James O’Keefe forks over $100,000 to Acorn employee. How’s this for poetic justice? Remember that video about an alleged pimp and prostitute who visited an Acorn office? Yeah, the one Andrew Breitbart put up on his website. Well you’ll never guess what happened. Turns out the employee, Juan Carlos Vera, called the cops after O’Keefe and his accomplice left. Far from being complicit in the alleged sex-trafficking plot, Vera was “playing along.”Of course after the video aired on Fox News, Vera was fired, Acorn ended up being defunded by Congress and the whole thing supposedly went away. Except not quite. Vera sued O’Keefe for damages, “arguing that he was taped without consent in violation of state law, and portrayed untruthfully.” O’Keefe eventually agreed via a settlement to pay Vera $100,000 and to issue an apology. A small price to pay for basically ruining someone’s life. What a scum bag.
House Republicans vote for the 37th time to repeal Obamacare. Well, I’ll give them this much, they’re nothing if persistent. Over the last two plus years, the GOP-led House has spent over $52 million trying to repeal a law they know can’t be repealed. But damned if they don’t keep trying. And you’ll never guess what lame excuse Speaker John Boehner came up with to hold this latest futile attempt. “We’ve got 70 new members who have not had the opportunity to vote on the President’s health care law. Frankly, they’ve been asking for an opportunity to vote on it, and we’re going to give it to them.”Einstein was right. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.
The Department of Justice targeting the AP and James Rosen. As I have mentioned on more than one occasion, Eric Holder went way over the line here. Neither the Associated Press nor James Rosen did anything to warrant the treatment they received at the hands of the DOJ. To even consider a reporter a co-conspirator for merely doing his job is beneath contempt and Holder should know that. Claims by some that the AP isn’t in the same league as, say, The Washington Post or The New York Times and that Rosen works at Fox News and that therefore it’s really no big deal are irrelevant and besides the point. You don’t get to choose a hierarchy when it comes to freedom of the press. Period.The truth is that Obama’s justice department has gone after more whistleblowers than any other administration before it. As Jon Stewart mockingly noted, “They believe in freedom of the press, just not freedom of speech for people who might talk to the press.”
Conducting an internal review of policy is all fine and dandy, but it may be a case of too little too late. The damage has been done. The best course of action would be for Holder to step down as Attorney General. If he won’t, then Obama needs to ask for his resignation.
Sean Hannity’s flip-flop on the NSA surveillance program. Mr. Constitution has been absolutely beside himself ever since the NSA story broke. Seems Sean thinks that this is a serious breach of the 4th amendment, warning his audience that “anarchy and tyranny will follow.”Unfortunately for old motor mouth, that’s not what he said back in 2006 when George Bush was in the White House. Back then he said this of the NSA program: ” It’s staggering to me we are even debating the use of these techniques in this country even at this time.”
What’s staggering to me is how Hannity hasn’t exploded yet from all the bullshit that’s inside of him. I guess Barack Obama must’ve “colored” his perception of what constitutes a violation of our basic rights. I would call this buffoon a hypocrite, but that would be doing a disservice to the millions of hypocrites around the world.
Paul Ryan explains why he and Mitt Romney lost in 2012. Speaking of people who just don’t get it, Bud Fox still can’t wrap his head around why he and Gordon Gekko didn’t defeat Emperor Obama last year. Judging by the speech he gave at this year’s Faith and Freedom conference in Washington D.C., I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for an epiphany any time soon. Denial isn’t just a river in Egypt.We are seeing the assault on our liberties. We are seeing what happens when you give so much power to a handful of bureaucrats, and what they do to abuse our religious freedom. . . The left likes to think that we are the fringe. Guess what? You and I, we are the mainstream When you take a look at what’s happening, the goal we have in front of us is to reclaim the center of our politics.
The center? Today’s GOP would have to stretch just to find the right margin on the page. To paraphrase Churchill, seldom has a political party done so much to alienate so many. Lincoln and Eisenhower must be spinning in their graves.
Sandra Day O’Connor regrets Bush v. Gore. Now she tells us. Seriously, more than 12 years after she cast the 5th vote that basically stopped the Florida recount, thus handing George Bush the 2000 presidential election, O’Connor thinks she and the Court made a mistake. “Maybe the court should have said, ‘We’re not going to take it, goodbye.’”YA THINK?!
Hindsight may be 20/20, but the ramifications of that decision were incalculable. The recount, had it been allowed to proceed, more than likely would’ve awarded the state and with it the election to Al Gore. The next eight years, which brought us 9/11, the Iraq War, and the worst economic upheaval since the Great Depression, might have been completely averted but for a premature and ill-conceived rush to judgment.
Candy Crowley’s “Gut” interview of Darrell Issa. In what was otherwise a pretty decent interview of Oversight Committee Chair Darrell Issa, Crowley asked what might well be the lamest question ever on cable news. “What does your gut tell you?”First of all, it’s not Darrell Issa’s gut that I’m worried about; it’s his motives. Considering that he has spent the better part of the last two years trying to pin everything conceivable on this president, a thorough investigative journalist would’ve been all over his specious charges and demanded proof to those charges. That she allowed the “paid liar” remark to go unchallenged is reprehensible.
Here’s what my gut tells me, Candy. Next time you find yourself interviewing a politician with an obvious ax to grind, leave your gut home and concentrate on your job.
Honorable Mention: Michele Bachmann. I would be remiss if I didn’t publicly acknowledge one of this feature’s frequent flyers. Michele Bachmann has earned so many bonus miles, she could take a trip to the moon and back and still have change left over. Her recent decision not to seek reelection in 2014 amid rumors of ethics violations during her failed 2012 presidential bid, will no doubt sadden a great many late-night comics, not to mention all of us on the Left who have cherished every misstep and boneheaded statement during her four terms in Congress.From her infamous McCarthy-like interview with Chris Matthews to her legendary Lexington and Concord moment all the way to her sprinting from a Dana Bash microphone, Bachmann could fill an encyclopedia with all her gaffs. I must admit, I am going to miss the birdbrain.
But fear not progressives, I’m certain the GOP will find someone to fill her shoes. Already I hear that Louie Gohmert has personally promised to make one more extra outrageous statement a month to pick up some of the slack. There’s never a shortage of crazy in the cuckoo’s nest.
Links: http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/26/reinhart-and-rogoff-are-not-happy/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/08/steve-kings-amendment-latino_n_3407798.html
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2013/03/andrew-breitbart-and-james-okeefe-ruined-him-and-now-he-gets-100-000/273841/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/16/house-obamacare_n_3288283.html
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/jon-stewart-tears-apart-obama-doj-for-prosecuting-whistleblowers-and-potheads-but-not-bankers/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/12/sean-hannity-nsa_n_3431346.html
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/06/paul-ryan-explains-gops-2012-loss-92803.html#ixzz2WItZBmvQ
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/29/sandra-day-o-connor_n_3177322.html
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/darrell-issa-accuses-obama-administration-irs-targeting-directly-ordered-from-washington/
http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/why-michele-bachmann-wont-run-office-
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