MOsanthrope

A MOsanthrope tradition since February!
As always, if you’re looking for obtuse political commentary and trite observation, I suggest that you skip to the next post using the scroll bar at right. There’s no one here but us shenanigans.
Real life Simpsons intro!

Amazing.

Science finally finds a solution to the booty call epidemic.
Prepare yourself for the […]

Filed under: Humor

Just try to parse her latest without having a seizure. I dare you. In fact, I’m begging you.
I’ll summarize for the benefit of those without ready access to their medication:
Hillary Clinton is an asexual robot. In contrast, George W. Bush is a deeply compassionate man who “would breastfeed the military if […]

Filed under: Politics, U.S., Media

Updated on June 29, 2006 at 1:31 pm (I) and 4:53 pm (II).
The talk radio crowd, which blows its collective gasket each time a judge uses the word “international” or suggests there are limits to the President’s power despite our perpetual war against terror, will not be pleased with todays Supreme Court decision in Hamdan […]

Filed under: Politics, U.S., Law

I guess it is an election year. This will shortly be dusting off far more significant keyboards than mine, so I’ll note the following without commentary and await the clamor: CNN is now publishing commentary under the byline of James “SpongeBob - is - a - tool - of - the - […]

Filed under: Politics, U.S., Media

I’ve resisted the urge to spout off about the latest attempt by Senate Republicans to rile up the base with a non-issue, primarily because the consensus had it that the flag burning amendment was dead before debate even began.
No matter. Balloon Juice’s Tim has a very good take here.
Read the post and […]

Filed under: Politics, U.S., Law

I normally save things like this for Friday, but this is simply fascinating. I give you the pimp tax:

The Senate Finance Committee is expected to vote Wednesday morning on the pimp tax. The bill also calls for more jail time for sex workers.
If passed, the provision will authorize at least $2 million toward the […]

Filed under: Politics, U.S., Law

Updated on June 28, 2006 at 2:58 pm.
Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) is balking again. This time he’s deeply concerned about the disclaimer language the President frequently appends to bills before signing them, the gist of which is “It is with great pride that I sign this bill into law which applies to everyone except […]

Filed under: Politics, U.S., Law

I see that a federal judge has ordered a moratorium on executions in my state until Missouri can “ensure that inmates do not suffer excruciating pain when they are put to death“:

Missouri Corrections Director Larry Crawford said in a hearing before [U.S. District Judge Fernando] Gaitan two weeks ago that he would clarify the execution […]

Filed under: Politics, Law, Ethics, Missouri

It was bad policy when they sold out consumers to benefit doctors and corporations, and it stinks to high heaven when they do it to benefit lawyers.
(Thanks: Steve).

Filed under: Politics, U.S., Law

There was a time, Garrison Keillor laments, when conservatives were “pragmatic Main Street businessmen in steel-rimmed spectacles who decried profligacy and waste, were devoted to their communities and supported the sort of prosperity that raises all ships.” We’ve come a long way from Teddy Roosevelt’s square deal to government as corporate benefactor. Despite […]

Filed under: Politics, Finance, U.S., Ethics

As much fun as it might be to jump all over Rush Limbaugh’s latest brush with the great, gangling arm of the law (”talent on loan from Pfizer” springs immediately to mind), it seems to me that, obvious hypocrisy and trivial controlled substance law infractions notwithstanding, what prescription medications the man ingests ain’t nobody’s business […]

Filed under: Politics, U.S., Law, Media

Remember Vietnam Veterans For The Truth? They ran that KerryLied.com site. They’re back, this time with clever new web sites like MurthaLied.com and BootMurtha.com.
You see, Congressman Murtha (D-PA) has actually criticized the President’s increasingly popular war. Worse yet, last year he introduced a House resolution advocating withdrawal of our troops from Iraq, […]

Filed under: Politics, U.S., Internet, Media

Well, butter my butt an’ call me a biscuit:

Missouri voters say they’re willing to spend more tax dollars to restore Medicaid coverage to 90,000 residents, and strongly support increasing the state’s minimum wage for workers.
They also continue to overwhelmingly embrace a ballot proposal that would protect many forms of embryonic stem cell research, and one […]

Filed under: Politics, U.S., Missouri, Media

Kansas was ahead of the curve as the country took a hard right turn toward wackyland. An interesting piece in The Observer suggests that the heartland may now be leading the way back to the middle:

The two-storey office block is Parkinson’s campaign headquarters as he runs as Democrat candidate for deputy governor. So far, […]

Filed under: Politics, U.S.

1600 PENNSYLVANIA AVE NW. One of a kind 132-BR., 35 bath, 55,000 sq. ft. neoclassical sandstone mansion. Recently remodeled. 28 firepl., tennis ct., bowling, theater, jogging trk., pool. Includes private meeting with President or top political adviser. Steal at $100,000 per session. Contact Grover Norquist or Jack Abramoff, […]

Filed under: Politics, U.S.

Updated on June 24, 2006 at 2:54 pm
Don’t get me wrong: Their expressed desire to kill American citizens made the Miami wackos a threat. The feds deserve nothing but praise for their successful infiltration and apprehension of the group.
On the other hand, because the usual suspects will inevitably forget their proclamations […]

Filed under: Politics, U.S., Law

The Vice President is mad as hell, and he’s not going to take it anymore:

“What I find most disturbing about these stories is the fact that some of the news media take it upon themselves to disclose vital national security programs, thereby making it more difficult for us to prevent future attacks against the American […]

Filed under: Politics, U.S., Media

The latest from the New American Ministry for Public Enlightenment.

Filed under: Politics, U.S., Media

At the risk of being condemned as a sicko for the fourth time this afternoon, I’ll link to this anyway.
Mandatory sentencing guidelines do far more harm than good. There is something deeply un-American about a sentence for the crime of possessing prohibited images — no matter how offensive — which is longer than […]

Filed under: Law, Ethics

See! Don’t say we didn’t warn you! We must immediately repeal the Constitution! American citizens are terrorists, too! We can’t allow antiquated notions like the Bill of Rights stand in the way of catching terrorists when we’ve got terrorists coming out of the woodwork! Remember Jose Padilla? He looks […]

Filed under: Politics, U.S.

A MOsanthrope tradition since February!
As always, if you’re looking for obtuse political commentary and trite observation, I suggest that you skip to the next post using the scroll bar at right. There’s no one here but us shenanigans.
“Well, we’ll see.”

Don’t sweat it. There’s gonna be another strand.
(Thanks: Julie).
Thanks for the seizure disorder. […]

Filed under: Humor

My ol’ granddady always said that Christian conservatives and GOP strategists make the best money launderers. According to the new U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs Report, he was right:

Everybody who’s been paying attention to the Abramoff scandal knows that when Ralph Reed, the boy-king of the Christian right, went to work for Jack […]

Filed under: Politics, U.S., Ethics

Some people really do believe that you can market anything. Remember: independent studies have shown that Crapesse™ brand shampoo’s unique blend of natural botanicals and mineral-rich fruit bat guano makes hair up to five times stronger, and you shouldn’t blow people up:

June 20, 2006 - Remember the egg, the frying pan and the […]

Filed under: Politics, U.S., World, Media

Did you know that fifty years ago this week, the U.S., after fabricating reasons for doing so, invaded Hungary and attempted to install a western-style Democracy at gunpoint?
Either did I.

Filed under: Politics, U.S., World

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Earth is the hottest it has been in at least 400 years, probably even longer.
The National Academy of Sciences, reaching that conclusion in a broad review of scientific work requested by Congress, reported Thursday that the “recent warmth is unprecedented for at least the last 400 years and potentially the last […]

Filed under: Politics, U.S., Environment, World

U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, presiding over the EFF suit challenging AT&T’s cooperation with the NSA in its domestic surveillance program, asked some very good questions.
(Via Balloon Juice).

Filed under: Politics, U.S., Law

AlterNet’s Bob Geiger mourns the passing of the Honest Leadership and Accountability in Contracting Act:

In an effort to stop companies like Halliburton and its subsidiaries from cheating our troops and stealing from Americans, Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., introduced S.AMDT.4230 and attached it to the Defense Authorization bill currently being debated in the Senate. The bill […]

Filed under: Politics, Business, U.S.

In a previous post, I linked to a Wired News article detailing the NSA’s warrantless domestic wiretap program. The article was accompanied by copies of sealed documents describing the NSA operation, including details of a secret facility housed in an AT&T building located in nearby Bridgeton, Missouri.
Today, FiredUp! Missouri links to a […]

Filed under: Politics, Business, Law, Internet, Missouri

One of the Democrats’ biggest handicaps is their lack of flair for disingenuous marketing. What do you call legislation which dramatically increases government power at the expense of freedoms our Founding Fathers secured with their blood? Why, that’s the Patriot Act, of course! A reduction in air quality standards which permits the […]

Filed under: Politics, U.S., Language

The next time you catch me whining about that appointed case some judge ordered me to prosecute, you might remind me of this:

Gunmen kidnapped and killed the number-two lawyer on Saddam Hussein’s defense team, making him the third attorney for Iraq’s former president to be murdered during the crimes against humanity trial.

In retrospect, handling that […]

Filed under: Employment, Law, World