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Ralph Reed is having an awfully bad year. His friendship with Jack Abramoff and the revelation that Ralphie Boy took a whole lot of casino money to prop up his Christian lobbying gig isn't going down all that well with his flock.
We've previously reported on Ralph Reed's trials and tribulations here, here and here, just for starters, but a story in The Nation really lays it all out on the table for everyone and I wanted to toss it out there for consideration.
...As executive director of the Christian Coalition from its founding in 1989 until his departure in 1997, Reed got — and took — the lion's share of credit for transforming the politically unsophisticated evangelical right into a disciplined Republican Party machine. "Ralph Reed symbolizes the rise of the Christian right to political power," says Frederick Clarkson, author of "Eternal Hostility: The Struggle Between Theocracy and Democracy." "He became the story of the movement — the face and voice for those millions of conservative Christians in the mainstream press. Now he's becoming a symbol of what's gone awry."Last June Georgia's former GOP House minority leader Bob Irvin blasted Reed in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution op-ed. "His M.O. is to tell evangelical Christians that his cause of the moment, for which he has been hired, is their religious duty," Irvin fumed. "As an evangelical myself, I resent Christianity being used simply to help Reed's business."
Irvin's dart went straight to the heart of the matter. While grassroots organizing has been the key to lifting evangelicals to power in the GOP, the movement's political model has mostly mirrored the traditional hierarchy of churches, with trusted leaders setting the tone and issuing marching orders to their foot soldiers. What if the generals — the Reeds and James Dobsons — are proven to care more about power and money than stamping out abortion or homosexuality? The damage to evangelical politics would clearly be immense. So would the damage to the Republican Party, which cannot carry a national election without the full enthusiasm and participation of the evangelical troops.
"Think what will happen on Election Day when 2 to 3 percent of the previously most passionate Republicans stay home," Joseph Farah, editor and publisher of the right-wing WorldNetDaily, warned in January. "Think of what it will mean when 20 to 30 percent of the grassroots activists Republicans have counted on to work for them don't show up."...
Think about that for a moment -- and then transpose yesterday's DeLay announcements about leaving the House and his public professions of Christian martyrdom for the conservative cause. And add in Digby's theory on where DeLay might be headed once he leaves the House.
At some point, even the snake oil salesmen lose their grip on the crowd. The question is, are we at that moment now? And if not, then when?
The Nation article is a thought provoking read. And I'd love to get everyone's thoughts on this one, because it goes to the heart of the political divide that I see opening a wider and wider chasm in this country. The question I keep asking myself is how do we rebuild the bridges, if ever.
(Screen grab from the ever-hilarious Chicken Run.)
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ooh, Fitz and Feingold! Love Chicken Run!!
The Onion has the reaction on the street to Tom DeLay’s resignation.
Amanda Marcotte, Systems Analyst - “What does this man have to look forward to? Some multimillion-dollar consulting position at a mega-corporation? I hope he’s on suicide watch.”
Moulitsas ZÃniga, Produce Vendor - “I don’t know how Democrats will fail to capitalize on this GOP debacle, but I’m sure they’ll find a way.”
John Amato, Dietician - “Termites, rodents, and ants beware: Your 20-year free pass is over.
Is it me or do those names sound familiar?
OT…but email the ombuds of MSNBC to complain about tweety and his asskissing of Delay…Demand he apologise to Senator Clinton…
here is the email;
David.McCormick@nbcuni.com
The split is wide, WIDE open, and not just between the aisles of the church. Damn, I feel like I’m watching DemTV right now, and I’ve got CNBC on. I know I’ve commented on this over the last two months, but there is an ENORMOUS seachange even in the financial industry. CNBC just had a representative on from AFL-CIO discussing their complaint that Walmart was blocking port security with its considerable economic power — and the AFL-CIO was UNCONTESTED, no ‘winger talking head countering him, no representative from Walmart, just the AFL-CIO dude for nearly 5 minutes during precious trading hours. He was followed by another talking head discussing the Bush tax cuts’ impact, pointing out that the wealthiest got the most benefit from the cuts and that complaints about double-taxation on corporations were invalid since many of the same people/entities paid NO taxes between 1995-2000 during the dot.com bubble years.
Jeepers. I think I need to get my eyes and ears checked!!
p.s. favorite Chicken Run line: But I don’t want to be a pie!
Ralph Reed is going to have a Come to Jesus moment.One way or another.Could it be in a prison parrish? One can only hope.
Joejoejoe #3: Is it me or do those names sound familiar?
No and yes, respectively.
joejoejoe — Marcotte doesn’t ring a bell, but “Ziniga” and “Amato” certainly do! Heh. Good one, Onion!
Ralphie’s slow, tortured flame-out has been incredibly satisfying to watch. The hits just keep on coming. Thanks for continuing your excellent coverage of this implosion. It’s really a dagger to the heart of the theocrat/oligarch hegemony. If this scandal wakes up the truly Xtian among the Xtians, yes, it could be the end of their co-option by the corporatists.
And to think it might be little Ralphie who provides the example.
OfT: I’ve got my (non-existent) money on Jeb in the Florida Senate race, although I’ve seen some discussion about Tommy Franks. Who else is there to replace KHarris, presuming she makes it to the May primary and then has to drop out between then and the November general election?
O/T
John Casper - MSNBC is breaking with an emerging e mail from Duke Lacross team - jeebus
Jee Wiz, EPU’d myself twice with the same post. OK, one more time. For some info on FBI background checks (which should have been done on a high ranking member of DHS–or equivelent checks) please see bottom og pediphile thread.
Rayne:
Amanda Marcotte is at the Pandagon blog.
What is this “EPU” ya’ll keep using? News travels slow to these arctic regions you know.
I find it interesting that throughout all of Reed’s tribulations that he’s not out of it and may still have a shot at being elected. So what does that tell you?
Ok, happy to explain. EPU are the initials for a long-time commenter who always found himself at the bottom of a thread when a new one had been posted. Evil Parallel Universe, you on now?
EPU is when you post last on a thread when the new thread is posted……everyone jumps to the new one and doesn’t get to read your post. Poster is therefore EPU’d.
—–
Katie’s new $10M/year position:
Katie Couric’s move to CBS, after a very public courtship by the network’s Leslie Moonves, will shake up two long-entrenched areas of the network news business: the traditional evening newscast and the morning race.
Alaskan_Pete — Welcome. EPU = the initials for a regular commenter here, Evil Parallel Universe, who had a habit of posting a comment near the end of a thread, only to find that a new thread had already started and everyone had left for the new thread. To be EPU’d is to post a comment that gets stranded in this way.
speaking of roasting chickens…
OT but hilarious– the General hits Joementum!
http://patriotboy.blogspot.com.....6363792660
“The question I keep asking myself is how do we rebuild the bridges, if ever.”
There’s always the Helen Thomas technique:
“You used to ask tough questions. Come back, all is forgiven.”
Ralphie’s exposure as a fraud and scum sucking vermin is a watershed moment for the Repugs and their RW Christian cohorts.
This man would have been President. If he loses this race, he will be out of the running forever. Or at least till after I’m dead.
I think the back of the Coaltion may be broke forever if Ralphie loses or quits.
Casino Jack will be his downfall.
OT but interesting:
On the Justin Berry case, remember the name Greg Mitchel?
Just came across this interesting comment on Jeff Jarvis’s blog from someone claiming to be Mitchel’s brother:
Interesting, huh? Jarvis and his followers seem to all believe that Eichenwald is the bad guy in this story!
Unbelievable…
since it’s now on topic, I’m taking the liberty of recycling this link from Late Nite:
luv me some d r i f t g l a s s:
… Who in the f**k are you talking to?
With respect, you keep saying “we†and “they†as if “they†are going to wake up one day and realize that they are the problem. That Conservative Fundamentalism is the bone cancer of democracy. That people like Mullah Falwell or Mullah Dobson or Mullah Roberston and their legions of Christalopithecans are going suddenly start putting the good of the nation ahead of the good of their cult.
Earth to Liberal Guy: They’re not.
(warning: long post)
LisaDawn82 # 13
both the Nation article and Cynthia Tucker/AtJo/Con make it pretty clear that there are plenty of earnest, trusting folk out there who have at least temporarily fallen for Ralphie’s “shouldn’t have done it” mea culpa on his involvement with gambling
PS Anyone see Justin Berry on Larry King last night? Mitchel’s brothers comments above seem eerily like one of the people who called into the show, demanding that Justin reveal how much money he made, and why he got out of the business as soon as he became 18.
cbl — if you are still hanging about, could you shoot me an e-mail? ReddHedd at AOL dot Com. Thanks!
Alaskan_Pete-
Actually, in a weird kind of way, getting EPU’d is a badge of honor, as well.
Unlike, say, getting “trexxed”.
;-)
Christy, are you looking for this?
SF Chronicle article yesterday:
A Web of oil intrigue
Rumored Iran plan has blogs breathless
David R. Baker, Chronicle Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 4, 2006
Iran has a plan to destroy America, and it has nothing to do with the bomb.
Instead, the Islamic republic will use oil and euros to slay the Great Satan, breathless accounts on the Internet warn. The attack will proceed as follows:
Iran will open an oil trading exchange that operates in euros rather than dollars — until now, the world’s sole currency for buying crude. Other countries, whose central banks were holding onto dollars largely to buy oil, will dump their dollars en masse.
The greenback’s value will collapse. The American economy will tank. The U.S.-dominated New World Order will disappear in a flurry of currency trades.
This tall tale has circulated on the Web for months. Bloggers type apocalyptic postings about it. People who identify themselves as economists engage in detailed, sometimes arcane debates on it. And like any good online story, the saga of the Iranian oil exchange, or bourse, has taken on a viral life of its own. …
It’s important to remember Jimmy Carter’s observation that this hierarchical model is actually quite different from the traditional Southern Baptist model of a level church where each adherent had their own relation to the Deity. The emergence of these evangelicals as ‘leaders’ is far more consistant with other (e.g. Roman Catholic) traditions.
The sooner these people realize that ‘feet of clay’ is a condition of ALL leaders (and followers) the sooner we can get past this hugh cleft in our society.
OT - Well, Bush has left the building, so now I can go to Bridgeport…I’m supposed to drop off some DVDs at the Public Access TV station next to the theater where Bush was speaking, but there was no way I’d be able to get within a half-mile of the place while he was there. I think he’s long gone back to DC by now.
More OT - And tonight my wife and I are going to see Ned Lamont speak in New Haven. If I get any face time with the man, I’ll mention FDL; I’m sure he knows how much we’re supporting him.
As in I was just EPU’ed.
I think it is generally agreed that Iran has a nuclear weapons program. Hiding their nuclear activities for 18 years, their connections to AQ Khan, their relations with the IAEA, their bad faith in their negotiations with the Europeans and even the Russians are all indicative.
Put the other way, if the Iranians had no nuclear weapons ambitions, it would not be a big deal to have their nuclear facilities monitored and could be used to argue for access to more sophisticated nuclear technology and greater control of the fuel cycle. This said, the question becomes what we should do about it.
If the decision has been made that we can not accept a nuclear armed Iran, then we will strike regardless of the costs. The strike would be made with the tacit approval and logistical aid of Israel and various Arab governments in the region. It would be layered in that not just nuclear sites would be hit but also those assets in Iran which could be used to defend against the attack but also to respond to it either directly or indirectly as for example against shipping in the Persian gulf. It is for precisely this reason that I do not think that we would support a unilateral strike by the Israelis since they do not have the resources to take out all of these other targets. Even so Iran would retain the capacity to use terrorism and asymmetric warfare to exact a cost for our actions. In addition, any attack would have extreme repercussions on the oil market and could throw the world economy into recession –even if the oil flow underwent no serious disruptions.
Another option which is the one we are currently seeing play out is to draw out and delay Iran’s acquiring nuclear weapons. This does not solve the underlying problem but is useful since it avoids a military confrontation that would be disastrous to both sides(i.e. Iran and everyone else) and leaves open the possibility that the situation will change in some unspecified way before Iran gets nuclear weapons.
A final option would be to accept that Iran will at some point have nuclear weapons. This does not contradict the current approach but can be seen as an extension of it. What we should be looking at in this regard is what the consequences of a nuclear Iran would be. Would it be more stable or less stable? Would the region be more stable or less stable? Before Ahmadinejad came to power, I think the view was that nuclear weapons might make Iran feel less threatened and make it a more responsible regional player. Ahmadinejad’s electoral victory, however, showed how unstable Iran still is and how unpredictable. The last and most dangerous thing you want in nuclear politics is uncertainty and at the moment the uncertainties are increasing not decreasing with respect to Iran.
For now I think we will continue on the current track. If events change: we effectively withdraw from Iraq or the Iranian program accelerates or someone misjudges, then all bets are off.
Alaskan_Pete - There once was this blog called Firedoglake. We just call it FDL now. So, way back a long time ago there was this feller Evil Parallel Universe (EPU). He had the unfortunate knack of posting at the very tail end of a thread the most well thought out comments. However, bc everyone was now lookin at the new thread the comments were never truly appreciated or even read. So, he started by reposting them as an OT to the new thread. This became a quite common event for this person that the phenomenon was later characterized as being EPU’ed or EPU’d. It happens everywhere. Not just FDL. So, EPU’s ghost is EVERYWHERE
Punaise-I read that about a week ago somewhere and it scared the hello out of me…….
Redd- Do you think the 12 hour delay (to preserve all materials) has something to do with Andy Card resigning?
ccmask — I think Card was just tired of all the crap being piled on and wanted out. Plus, I’ve heard he’s considering a run for MA governor. So it could factor in, but I wouldn’t put a big money bet on it, I guess is what I’m saying.
If Ralph Reed were ripped to shreds and eaten by a pack of angry squirrels I would consider the possibility that God may exist.
If said squirrels then proceeded to take a collective shit on Pat Robertson, I would never doubt again.
Ralph Reed will not make the difference in whether or not the goopers can hold the religious wing of their coalition. There are many factors at work here:
1) Will the goopers give the religious right what it wants? Will abortion be illegal in the US? There are only so many years that these people will cough up cash and time to make something happen that ain’t a gonna happen. It’s been thirty years of false promises. That clock is starting to run out.
2) The war in Iraq is a delicate balancing act for the goopers. The religious right supports it for only two reasons- the need to get the temple built in Israel so that Jesus can come again- and the bullshit about bringing “Godly democracy” to the world. The religious right does NOT believe in war for oil- so if and when they discover the REAL reason for the war- all bets are off. As Phillips explains in his latest book- they see the “war for oil” strategy as a part of Satan’s plan.
As the Clusterfuck democracies show themselves to be anti christian- the oil motivation becomes clearer- and the connection with the building of the temple and the growth of Israel to it’s biblical borders becomes more and more confused- evangelicals will get off the bus.
3) There is no biblical connection between “low taxes” and christian virtue. There is MUCH biblical basis for providing for the poor (”what you do to the least of God’s people- you do to me”). Dems have been unable to crack the code on this issue so far- but it’s there to be cracked.
4)The OTHER parts of the gooper coalition are not in support of the anti abortion arm of the gooper policy. They hate it and the other backwards anti scientific bullshit that comes with it. They can only be pushed so far- until the coalition disolves.
This won’t last- the fissures are very real and are ready to be broken wide open by a savy dem presidential candidate.
Punaise
The euros for dollars story at the moment is just a way of spitting in our eye. It’s economic ramifications are dubious. If our economy goes into the toilet, it will be because of Bush’s insane and senseless economic policies and his inabilities to add numbers beyond how many fingers and toes he has. The euro is not an international currency in the same way as the dollar is. It is still rather new, untested, and not large enough to handle world scale transactions to more than a limited degree. Nonetheless, it is perfectly reasonable and probably even desirable to diversify into it and there have been intimations of this occurring not simple with hostile countries like Iran and Venezuela but also China.
Hugh - good context, merci
cbl, thanks.
Smoking gun has the email.
IMO this event has numerous story lines. Two of the most reviling to me have to do with the “code of silence.” First, the complete failure of Duke’s administration to communicate appropriately and the failure of the 44 members of Duke’s LaCrosse team (who did not particpate in the brutal kidnapping, rape, beating and sodomy) who still will not go public with what they kno (and appear unwilling to tell the police even the most basic facts about what went on). As Duke undergrads, they have the “no-snitching” part down pat.
Forensic authorities have confirmed the woman’s injuries to be consistent with her police report and that this took place late on the March 13, early on March 14.
Duke Administration knew no later than March 15, but their Men’s basketball team was still “alive” in the NCAA tournament. The first announcement by Duke, took place on March 24, the day after their Men’s team lost in the NCAA’s. Duke Administrators failed to warn their community and the greater Durham community that they had a serious public health risk, and there was pretty overwheliming evidence that it was on Duke’s Men’s LaCrosse team. Duke could have done this without violating the Civil Rights of the Men’s LaCrosse team. They weren’t talking to the police and they weren’t talking to the Press, just the lawyers their Daddies hired for them.
OT, if this woman lived in South Dakoa, under their new Rapists’ Rights Law, she would not have been allowed access to emergency contraception.
OT Yes the woman is an “exotic dancer.” She is also the mother of two, and attending college at North Carolina Central, four miles away from Duke.
Probably too soon to count old Ralph out of the game just yet. Yes, there are moments when it looks like he is going down in flames but he has a long history with all the Georgia small “c” christians and they will overlook an awful lot of sins if they think deep, deep down Ralph loves Jesus like they do. That boyish grin and sincere way always seems to allow an awful of sins to wash away.
Never fail to remember that the base that supports him watch wrestling on TV and believe it is real.
But, RH, when you put the 12-hour gap against the recently discovered 250 emails as well as the Fitz improperly archived comment, isn’t there more than a little smoke here? I know you stay reality-based in your front-page posts, but there’s room for some Rose Mary Woods speculation here in the comments on this topic, isn’t there?
I don’t think a bridge can be built between people who believe in separation of church and state and those who want a sectarian earthly theocracy -whether Christian, or Jewish or Muslim. So I hope there are not too many die hard conservative Christian theocrats in the US. If there are, a divisive chasm will remain and we will have to learn how to live with it.
I only hope that some conservative Christians will come to realize how badly they have been duped and used by people like DeLay and Reed. Even if DeLay is sincere on some level (and I think if he is, that makes him a true nut case), I still think conservative Christians have been used by him. If half of the Marianas stories are true, then DeLay has not acted as a good conservative Christian should with regard to labor rights there (ie, allowing labor regs that encouraged or forced abortions among workers).
Problem is that conservative Protestant Christians are similar to fundamentalist Sunni Muslims in some ways. Idolatry of Scripture, scriptural interpretations contaminated by outlandish cultural and ethnic bigotry, and complete independence of authority of every church (every preacherman can set himself up as an ultimate authority and issue a fatwa). So they are difficult to reason with and tend to act in unpredictable and anarchic ways.
I read that article last night after seeing it linked here. My thoughts on the issue are here and here.
Silly evangelicals. Don’t they realize that they’re just an ATM to little Caligulas like Tom DeLay? Their ideological sacred cow is “faith”, which is precisely what makes it so easy to lead them around like a bull with a ring in its nose.
9/11 was a faith-based initiative.
e-mail to NBC:
David.McCormick@nbcuni.com
I am writing to complain about the cozy relationship that has been demonstrated between Chris Matthews of Hardball and disgraced congressman Tom Delay. A video clip has been posted on the Internet of Matthews and DeLay talking when they thought they were off-camera. There are several problems with the conversation shown. First, it shows an intimacy between the journalist and the politician that is improper. Their conversation was jovial. It is unclear how Matthews can maintain the objectivity and lack of bias when he engages in such banter with the politician he is going to interview. They treat each other like pals. This is improper from the perspective of journalistic ethics. Second, Matthews is clearly heard to say words to the effect that “I owe you one†to DeLay. A journalist has no business owing anything to a politician whom he covers. Finally, Matthews and DeLay exchange improper and adversary remarks about Senator Hillary Clinton. Once again, the appearance is of bias and a lack of objectivity. Matthews should issue a public apology to Senator Clinton and to his viewers and should refrain from such conduct in the future, whether or not he knows he is on camera.
fallenmonk — oh, I’m not counting Ralph out until the votes are counted, certified and published. *g* But this was to have been a cakewalk for him. Watching him struggle through the primary is amusing enough, let alone anything beyond that…
God, sex, and cold hard cash is what the so-called “Christian” right is all about. Eternal hypocrisy.
Hugh #37: If our economy goes into the toilet, it will be because of Bush’s insane and senseless economic policies and his inabilities to add numbers beyond how many fingers and toes he has.
He can count that high? [/snark]
No argument on the senseless part. Or on the insanity. I still don’t understand why people can buy the argument that reducing taxes for the wealthiest people in the country will help the rest of us in any way whatsoever. (I’d like to start the ‘trickle-up economics’ program: pay people enough to live on and watch the economy improve as so many people no longer have to buy everything discounted or used.)
Teddy — while I’d love it if the 12-hour gap yielded more than just speculation, at this point, I haven’t heard anything to substantiate anything other than some wishful thinking. Although you can be sure if I hear differently, you guys will be the first to know. ;-)
I’m not sure that the revelations of corruption will have that big an impact on the religious right. The RR just loves a repentent sinner. If Reed or Delay is able to conjure up some convincing-looking tears, get down on their knees, and ask for forgiveness, it is possible their standing could actually rise.
Our political system is founded on the idea of keeping church and state separate. This is true at a deeper level than most people realize. The Constitution and the Bible are, at some level, contradictory. Most of the Ten Commandments would be unconstitutional. Most of the core concepts behind the Constitution — self-determination, democracy, free speech, etc. — are either absent from the Bible or specifically deprecated there.
This really is not much different that what is happening in Afghanistan or Iraq. Given the choice between Sharia and a constitutional democracy, Muslim fundamentalists will eagerly choose Sharia. Given the choice between Biblical law and a constitutional democracy, most Christian fundamentalists will eagerly choose Biblical law.
I think it is too much to hope that Christian fundamentalists will take religion back out of politics. The next best hope is that they stay home on election day. Maybe enough Republicans will get indicted that it will make an impact on the RR’s involvement in polticis, but we aren’t there yet, not by a long shot.
Just thinking of roasting chickens makes me hungry.
and that complaints about double-taxation on corporations were invalid since many of the same people/entities paid NO taxes between 1995-2000
Invalid even if they were paying taxes IMO, bc you get a huge benefit for the price of dividend taxation. It’s called limited liability, a concept that did not even exist at common law. Shareholders in NW are never going to go to jail for their negligence in supervising actions of the corporation, never going to lose their personal assets beyond their initial investment, etc. they way they would if they had invested in a company as a sole proprietorship or a general partnership and divident taxation is pretty much like paying an insurance premium IMO, fwiw.
Hugh - interesting post. We have the added issue of who much intel we truly have about what is going on in Iran - Risen’s book indicated that there was a huge screw up that ended up in loss of almost all of our intel assets in about 2004. Finally, if we don’t dig in with non-proliferation and the Nunn-Lugar provisions, and even if we do, the truth is, we can’t prevent many of these countries from eventually getting nukes and some of the countries with which we are nominally allies, like Pakistan, have just as much potential to generate huge problems as Iran.
The underlying fundamentals need to be addressed; the rest is just taking Advil for that infected tooth. Gary Hart’s article that was linked a couple of days ago was one of the best shots I had seen anyone take at it. Again, IMO, FWIW
Speaking from the World Capital of Wishful Thinking, Christy, I thank you for your response. Always with the facts, ma’m, just the facts! *g*
Who picks the art for these posts? That Chicken Run pic made me laff out loud.
Wow. Read that article. Reed is a putz, pure and simple. My own Ralphie story: I sat across the aisle of a commuter plane enroute Va Beach to Washington National from Reed and some pal/crony of his. They were reading a Time magazine, and giggling like school girls over a picture of Hillary Clinton. The subject of their giggles? Hillary’s clothing, and how it made her “look bitchy”. It really took all my self-control not to reach across the aisle and slug the little shit. To this day, I figure an opportunity missed, is truly an opportunity lost.
The article on Reed is so revealing about the underside of the “Christian” beast. I guess that their other real hero is Charles Colson, Watergate Felon who still gets access to the White House via the Jesus Redemption Follies. I guess his alleged “Prison Ministry” might pick up a few more adherants in the months and years to come. Strange how all of them will be self-identified “born-again republican christians” (well, except Abramoff who can surely start his own Messianic Redemption Club). A regular jailhouse coffee-klatch of corruption.
Also interesting to note, that Reed lived in Toccoa, Georgia. A familiar name to anyone who has read Stephen Ambrose’s “Band of Brothers”, it was where Easy Company of the 506th PIR trained to become Airborne troopers. How quirky that such a little shit like Reed claims to be from a small town that was also the brief home to real American heroes like the men of the 101st Airborne Division. I’m surprised he didn’t claim to be an Airborne Ranger, just to pick up another vote and a check or two. Be right in character.
Christy # 25
just shot you an e mail - it said it was sent, but we never know with Hooterville Hi-Speed
MrWonderful — Jane and I pick our own pics. I thought this particular screen grab was hilarious, myself. *g*
Hugh, thanks for an excellent comment about Iran and the nuclear issues.
O/T. Sorry, but in the wake of all the other Abramoff, Delay & Heimat security pedophile lunacy, I thought you’d all enjoy some Connecticut lunacy, especially you, Angie, if you’re around!
Chimpy appeared in Bridgeport to talk about “healthcare:” Something about people taking “responsibility ” up to a certain point until they get really sick. (For what? Drugs that cost a trillion gazillion dollars? He’s telling this to people in Bridgport where so many people are below the poverty line & noone voted for him.)
No word on the lucky volunteer. Shutting down I-95 seems in retrospect like a Spinal Tap moment; i.e. Boston’s not a big college town and CT is not a big commuter state.
Theories come from the Hartford Courant though.
http://www.courant.com/news/po.....ics”
I am eagerly looking forward to some rubber stamp televison. Especially since it snowed today.
After the boil is lanced, all the blood and pus and crud comes out, and sunlight has a chance to disinfect… I am hoping a good chunk of the extreme rightwing Christian theocratic voting block will have second thoughts. And that they will either realize the wisdom of separation of church and state, or withdraw from politics and wait for Armageddon at home.
A lot of this has been due to charging people up to be good little holy warriers and prepare the way for the Second Coming. “C’mon boys, God needs yer help in gittin up this here ennotheworld!” How long can these masses of people remain drunk on that kind of spiritual-pride high? It ain’t gonna happen their way, sooner or later the fever will pass. Won’t go away completely, but be less intense for awhile.
I agree with rwcole in post #36. On point number one, it is not just that the Christian right waited 30 years to get their social agenda… it is that they finally took control of the three branches of government, and they still didn’t get anything. No federal ban on abortion or homosexuality, no school prayer or vouchers, no nothing.
They took over the government and they still feel victims of a war on Christmas/Christians.
(This new comments app really rocks. I like the cool numbering system and being able to see preview as I type.)
No sense in getting cocky. Let’s make sure those grassroots know all about what a rotten SOB Ralphie boy is (and remember he got lucky that the DA in Austin simply did not have the time or manpower to go after him, too).
Tug — it helped that the DA didn’t have time to look into Sen. Cornyn’s role in this either. *g*
John Casper #39
have been messing with our e mail andjust saw your comment.
wish you could’ve seen the MSNBC talking heads as they were reading excerpts from this beyond vile e mail - for once, I was glad they weren’t being objective - they were clearly disgusted by what they were reading.
let’s see how long this code of silence lasts once law enforcement has the dna results
Exclusive: Judge finally calls end to inquiry into Clinton Administration official Cisneros
RAW STORY
Now lets start with the REAL criminals, eh?
wesgpc - I don’t hold out much hope for the extreme right wing fundi theocrats. I guess the best I think we shoot for is that real Evangelicals come around and a large block of Christians who got wrapped up in the need to inflict damage somewhere, on someone, bc of what happened here come around to how un-Christian their actions have been. And that there is a restored sense of patriotism meaning protecting our Constitution, freedoms and each other and does not require one knee feality and support of senseless, illegal, immoral and costly actions of an unquestioned President.
I’m just not super optimistic. I’m trying to get into the spirit of chickens comeing home to roost, but I am too struck by the damage done to the home to get very excited over the chickens. I still see a DOJ that is bifurcated like the lawyers for a major criminal enterprise - one set plubbing away on the “legal end” of the business and giving you Delay and Abramoff, but the really disturbing, immoral actions of the administration going, due to DOJ cover, unquestioned and unchecked and the whole country being fundamentally and possibly forever changed by it. Hard for me to get excited over “wins” when I’m not sure I have a team left to root for.
The Evangelical Community is taking a hit on the Reed thing. The GOP badly needs the support of the Xian right.
How better to change the subject than to give DeLay a lot of face time in his “spiritual” costume. And for him, in trouble anyway in “politics”, he can better serve the GOP goals by being SOMEONE in the Evangelical COmmunity than a has-been in the House.
Change the faces. Play up the house cleaning in the “spiritual” leadership in the Evangelical COmmunity at the same time that there’s house cleaning in the GOP. Most people are slow to learn.
Spread out who’s in trouble for what and when among a number of groups to obfuscate the picture. Let them duck and cover for a while longer.
I hope the usual pattern of things seeming to change slowly yields to a little faster, well grounded outrage in the US, from people of all faiths and persuasions and that we will see the day the sheriffs are knocking at the front door while the enlightened faithful are leaving by the back.
We don’t need a flock voting how the wolf should pick us off. We don’t need the wolf!
Thanks cbl.
I think the case against the three is pretty strong, but I think there is a good chance it won’t include DNA. It sounds to me as though this was premeditated, meaning they used condoms. Lawyers for the three are saying that the DNA evidence will clear their clients.
The victim’s father has said she identified the three attackers from pics of the Men’s Duke LaCrosse team.
I also could be wrong about the DNA. The DA required DNA from all european American (46) members of the team, so he appears to have some unidentified DNA in his possession.
IMO it is significant that the DA requested DNA from 46 team members. It sounds as though none of the team could prove they were not at the house that night. This would support how wholly uncooperative the team is being. The police are still not sure who exactly was there and who was not.
It sounds as though the victim did not fall victim to feelings of shame. It sounds as though she went directly to the police, gave her account and had a rape exam. It also sounds as though she had some pretty serious bruising on her face and her leg.
OT: with all the important stories out there, why in the f*ck is CNN headlining the Cynthia McKinney brouhaha? One would think they’re trying to distract the American public from the pressing and substantive issues of our day.
And they’d be right.
The fundies will not hold onto their wacked-out, heretical views less ferociously when presented with reality/facts/truth. They are True Believers and they need their beliefs, their Leaders and the rabble-rousing radio demogogues who help them vent their angry, repressed spleen. This Unholy Triad would, imo, still need to exist in some form — merely the content in each sector could shift, at least enough to keep them focused on anything but the ballot box. We’re never going to change the wackiest parts of their crazy beliefs, or their need for leaders. But slowly and surely, as each leader falls personally and fails politically, they could get, oh, maybe, distracted. And I think working on their beliefs might be a good role for blogs.
Duke victim also lost four nails, which might have epithelials (sp?) under them, could be cross-checked against the DNA samples. All in all, it’s a stark example of the “two Americas” living side-by-side in a single city. It’s great to see the NCCU students out taking back the night in support of their fellow student, the victim who is a mother of two.
Just back from this a.m.’s chores. I’d like to try a short answer to Redd’s question: by (1) finding common ground with everyday religious Republicans and (2) respecting them enough to communicate to them in their terms. Christianity in its essence strives for economic and social justice, nonviolence and a lot of other things that we and they hold in common.
In my view, we need to look for opportunities to work together on local, managable issues to build some trust and then to show that politics should be separate from religion because its the religious institutions that end up corrupted. Examples abound. And if there’s one thing that none of us need, it’s more corruption.
On the subject of communication, I wish I knew more scripture than I do. Getting people out of the Book of Revealations would be a start, so maybe some way to encourage re-discovery of the New Testament would be helpful. I’ve had a little success here, but I’m too ex-R.C. to be effective very often.
At a higher level, I’m not suggesting that we compromise principles, but I do think we and they need to get off the “left-right” continuum and find more dimensions where we can work together. The Atwater-Rove strategy of polarization effectively has confined us all to one dimension, and we have to break out of linearity to get anywhere. I see much more of a Venn diagram with overlaps as the real nature of respective positions. Once surfaced, we can build the kind of coalitions required to address the vital issues that look so intractable now.
I wonder when Christians will wake up? Dems are not the enemy. The thugs are. They pervert everything. Do you suppose this guy Brian Doyle is a member in good standing of some church somewhere? I mean, this is what they do. They use ALL of us.
rwcole # 36 - wow ! you’re all up in the mutha
Old Sow #66
“The Evangelical Community is taking a hit on the Reed thing”
I don’t think it has even started in earnest yet - what are these folks gonna do when Ralphie and Sheldon’s hijinks per Abramoff’s e-mails become public knowledge ?
Ironic, reading the articles, reports and these comments - we are going to have to rely on some sanctimonius true believer to expose this crap when they re-buke Ralphie and the other kids publicly - or someone’s going to outRalph Ralph and out his and the others asses just so he/she can keep the cash rolling in to their coffers - Tony Perkins ?, Don Wildmon ?, or any number of Mega Church Ministers. pass the popcorn
Mary: I agree with what you say. you included more of the big picture.
Old Sow: I gotta wonder, how gullible some of these people are. Bakker, Swaggart, Reed, DeLay, Dobson… the list goes on and on. How many frauds can they fall for before they wise up? They are supposed to be specially warned and on their toes for false prophets too! IMO, some of these extremists want to reach for poisoned unChristian fruit (hatred, heavy judgment, hypocracy, pride), and that is the source of the problem. And they claim to be the most devote Christians. I can’t think of any public process that can change that. That is why I think the best that we can hope for, wrt to many of them, is that they just get frustrated and stay home.
Gang — Nancy Pelosi is going to introduce a privileged resolution on ethics violations dealing with Abramoff/GOP Corruption in a few minutes on C-Span1. Just FYI. This is the 11th time she has brought this resolution to the floor — look for GOP leadership to quickly cut off debate and kill it.
….That DHS guy arrested had his security clearance pulled right away….unlike Rover.
Christian political action? Priest start hunder strike near Hastert’s office.
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.....TS_S1.html
Teddy - The story is sad in that it is possible for this to occur. What were these punks thinking?
The way to talk with the religious folks in USA is to:
1) Keep the topic on economics!
2) If the topic strays to theology, talk about Jesus and economics–see above.
My parents were VERY religious yet both were fierce FDR Democrats. They saw no contradiction–and neither do I. Of course, as a small-town preacher and wife, they understood the NEED for the Social Welfare State because they were often “first responders” to grave social and economic problems.
Thanks great post. I have been thinking a lot about the potential rift between the religious right and republican leadership for a while. And while it is true, as some of the posts point out above, that there is a tendency for the born again foot soliders to not - how shall we say - think critically about their leaders, I would argue there is a great deal of critical thinkers and diversity within the religious right top echelon that we can exploit.
Therefore our goal should be to point out instances where Reed and others mislead the born agains. For example, in that great nation piece linked above, they had one such dissenting leader critical of Reed
“Last June Georgia’s former GOP House minority leader Bob Irvin blasted Reed in an Atlanta Journal-Constitution op-ed. “His M.O. is to tell evangelical Christians that his cause of the moment, for which he has been hired, is their religious duty,” Irvin fumed. “As an evangelical myself, I resent Christianity being used simply to help Reed’s business.”
So we may not be able to break through the Christian cocoon constructed by the Religious right to shield their members from reading a piece like the Nation. But we know their leaders, or would be leaders, like the folks at World magazine will read the MSM coverage of the issue. Promoting this divide in leadership is how the gov took down so many leftist groups in the 60s.
Thus, we should continue to find examples where the right manipulates there religious base for their own profit.
Lucky for us, there are tons of these issues out there. For example, the nation article talks about anti-gambling campaigns run by gambling companies through the religious right. They are more of these in congress right now – not only old ones from Abramoff’s heyday. Right now the GOP is focused on excluding some internet gambling activities and promoting others. There should be a lot of upcoming coverage on these issues.
I can’t imagine this is limited to gambling or porn etc…. These guys call pro business legislation clear skies? Using reverse Rove logic, any piece of legislation labeled pro-religious right by the Republicons should be investigated, and I bet, if this pattern holds true it will always be a sham – aimed to benifit the republicans and inadvertnly hurt the religous right.
For example, anti-choice judges aren’t really all about abortion but more pro a pro-corporate interpretation of civil rights, which diminish individual rights at the expense of private enterprise.
Sorry for the long post….
“the victim who is a mother of two.”
I still have a big problem using the term “victim” when there hasn’t even been any arrests, yet. I’m not too thrilled with the “trial by media” DA either, but that’s me.
Jonathan Larson # 79 - you are the fourth Minister/Reverend on this site that I am aware of which means there’s more
I love it !!!
Minerva — never apologize for length when there is that much meat in your post. Really great thoughts. Thanks!
I guess you can get fired for racial slurs….
ST. LOUIS, MARCH 23 : A St. Louis radio station quickly fired a talk show host for uttering a racial epithet as he talked about Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on his show.
Lenihan had been heaping praise on Rice, who has said she aspires to run the National Football League one day but has more recently ruled out seeking to replace retiring Commissioner Paul Tagliabue.
She loves football. She’s African-American, which would kind of be a big coon. A big coon. Oh my God. I am totally, totally, totally, totally, totally sorry for that.”
He said he had meant to say “coup” instead of the racial slur.
http://www.financialexpress.co....._id=121381
Treatment for US Christian theocrats: spring some founding fathers on them. One of John Adams’ favorite themes was the extreme corruption that occured to any earthly organized religion. That is why he could think the Veddic Hymns to Branman were the most sublime and true religious texts he ever read, and think that the organized Hindu religion of his day was completely corrupted and worthless (he didn’t know much about it, but what he knew of, he thought was very bad). (See, Adams was a good devout little Christian boy like all the rest). So then we say, “hey, that’s what the Unitarian founder Adams, thought… so love the very orginially non-Christian US or leave it.” Probably won’t work, but maybe if deeply impressed the cognitive dissonance will keep them home.
Cozumel - Yes, I agree. Wait for judgements.
Evangelicals split over immigration disappoints Latinos.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....01606.html
TPM Muckraker found this on the Homel’d Sec website: http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/i.....e_0211.xml
July 9, 2003:
The Department of Homeland Security today announced Operation Predator, a comprehensive DHS initiative designed to enhance the Administration’s efforts to protect children from pornographers, child prostitution rings, Internet predators, alien smugglers, human traffickers, and other criminals. The President has made it clear that anyone who harms a child will be a priority target of law enforcement in this Administration.
“Operation Predator integrates the Department’s authorities to target those who exploit children,” said Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge. “The Department of Homeland Security is coordinating the Department’s once-fragmented investigative and intelligence resources into a united campaign against child predators.”
Regarding the “conversion” of the fundies: who here has had any success at this, in any way, shape or form? Let’s hear about it: not what didn’t work (we all probably could contribute there), but what did. That way, we all can learn.
final thought: problem with bridge to hardest of hard core is that they have a whole hermetic worldview that includes reactionary religion, reationary paternalistic social structure, reactionary economics, reactionary violence and bigotry. Remember that the extreme wingnut wing blends into the vile Christian Reconstruction movement. Dispensationalist Fundamentalists have a set of core beliefs so totally protected from any reality, it cannot be touched, certainly not by anything as mundane and transient as earthly reality. For anyone willing to discuss issues in good faith, then try for bridges. But, with Mary and some others, I think a substantial fraction beyond reach. I hope that is a minority. But if FDL wants to open a dialogue with anyone willing to be civil, I think that would be a very good thing. Can FDL’s connections find Christian conservatives who want dialogue?