GOP Unleashes the Hate on Rep. Spratt

Rep. John Spratt (D-SC) recently announced he has early stage Parkinson's disease and will run for a 15th term. Yesterday the National Republican Congressional Committee released a hatriotic statement regarding the Representative:

The statement calls the 67-year-old House Budget Committee chairman “Amnesiac John Spratt” and contained six bold-lettered allegations that he's forgetting what's happening in Washington.

"After 28 years in Washington, John Spratt's memory is failing him,” it began. He “can't even recall what Obamacare does … Now — worst of all — it seems he's completely forgotten who he works for.”

Oh GOP, your Mom must be so proud.

Andy Sere, a spokesman for the Republican committee, said the statement was not a swipe at Spratt's health. Asked for a similar statement criticizing another Democrat, he couldn't cite another example so heavily focused on a congressman's memory.

As rationale for the criticism, Sere noted a recent comment from Spratt that it is sometimes difficult to remember which provisions were in the different versions of the massive health care bill.

"Sometimes difficult to remember" details of lengthy legislative proposals totally equals "amnesiac". And what's that you say, he has Parkinson's? We had no idea and of course this statement is not in any way related to that.

Contribute to Rep. Spratt's re-election campaign here.

It Was 20 Years Ago Today

In loving memory of Jim Henson (September 24, 1936 – May 16, 1990)

Walk, Don't Run When God Calls

Father William Ventura, 31, has this advice for young men considering priesthood:

If you hear the Lord calling you to be a priest, don’t wait to respond!

Or maybe, think for like half a sec to see if you actually want to be a priest or if you just want to get hookers:

A Chelmsford priest was arrested in a prostitution sting at a New Hampshire hotel after police say he responded to an ad on Craigslist.

The Boston Archdiocese said Tuesday that William Ventura has voluntarily accepted a leave of absence and been barred from public ministry until the case is concluded through the court system.

Bristol Palin Advocating for Teen Abstinence

courtesy of Bill Hicks:

I'd quit smoking if I didn't think I'd become one of them [obnoxious, self-righteous nonsmokers]. . . . I'm smoking and you come up coughing at me. Jesus! You go up to crippled people dancin', too, you fucks? "Well, hey, Mr. Wheelchair. What's you're problem? Come on, Ironside. Race ya!" You fucking sadist. I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die. Deal? Thank you, America.

The Late and Super Great Bill Hicks

We are big Bill Hicks fans around here. Recently, Billy came across this writing and I wanted to post it here. It's one of those things that's kinda nice to read, anytime:

Despite his illness, Bill was at peace. He spent time with his parents, playing them the music he loved and showing them documentaries about his interests. He called friends to say goodbye and re-read J.R.R. Tolkein’s The Fellowship Of The Ring.

On February 7th, 1994, Bill wrote his last words to the world:

I was born William Melvin Hicks on December 16, 1961 in Valdosta, Georgia. Ugh. Melvin Hicks from Georgia. Yee Har! I already had gotten off to life on the wrong foot. I was always “awake,” I guess you’d say. Some part of me clamoring for new insights and new ways to make the world a better place.

All of this came out years down the line, in my multitude of creative interests that are the tools I now bring to the Party. Writing, acting, music, comedy. A deep love of literature and books. Thank God for all the artists who’ve helped me. I’d read these words and off I went – dreaming my own imaginative dreams. Exercising them at will, eventually to form bands, comedy, more bands, movies,anything creative. This is the coin of the realm I use in my words – Vision.

On June 16, 1993 I was diagnosed with having “liver cancer that had spread from the pancreas.” One of life’s weirdest and worst jokes imaginable. I’d been making such progress recently in my attitude, my career and realizing my dreams that it just stood me on my head for a while. “Why me!?” I would cry out, and “Why now!?”

Well, I know now there may never be any answers to those particular questions, but maybe in telling a little about myself, we can find some other answers to other questions. That might help our way down our own particular paths, towards realizing my dream of New Hope and New Happiness. Amen.

I left in love, in laughter, and in truth and wherever truth, love and laughter abide, I am there in spirit.

On Saturday, February 26th, 1994, Bill died. He was 32.

Astroturf Asses

Way to prey on women's fears of breast cancer and death, teabaggers.

I'm Pretty Sure This is Some Form of Russian Mind Control

Deets.

Johnny Weir Skating to 'Poker Face'

How Not to Help in Haiti

Nobody wants your old shoes.

The Sad State of the Health Care Debate

I am the uninsured. I have a job and pay taxes but my employer doesn't offer benefits. I have no access to health care except what I can afford to pay for out of pocket. And that ain't much.

When I can't get to sleep at night, I wonder if I have breast cancer or diabetes or some other treatable disease which could be detected if I could afford to get preventive medical care. But then I know too that even if something was detected, I could not afford to pay for treatment anyway. So I just lie in bed and hope for the best.

Meanwhile my Senator, Jim DeMint, participated in a "Prayercast" this week to ask Jesus to intervene and make sure I get no access to health care. Even if it's just a tiny shitty bit of health care reform, DeMint wants Jesus to stop me from getting it. Although I'm not a Christian, I do believe in many of the teachings attributed to Jesus and from what I understand, he was into helping the sick and the poor, not stomping them into the dirt. Maybe DeMint and friends are praying to some other Jesus - some guy whose fundamental message is "I've got mine, sucks being you", I don't know.

At any rate, the bottom line for me is this: The uninsured are dying every day due to lack of health care. We have no choice but to humbly accept any bone Congress tosses us because otherwise, you know - the death thing. So even though the Senate bill sounds pretty crummy and falls terribly short of expectations - yeah, I want that. Because it's something. And when you have nothing, something sounds pretty appealing. And I'm willing to work on future campaigns to try and elect people who pledge to improve health care for all Americans.

Don't get me wrong, I want the best we can possibly get right now. But whatever that turns out to be, I'm willing to take it because I have no other options. I know that if we don't get something now, it's going to be a long time before we have another chance. Too many of us will have needlessly died by then. We can't wait.

Word

Yesterday afternoon we had C-SPAN on while the clerk was reading the 767 page Sanders Amendment. C-SPAN puts up bits of info on the screen to keep viewers abreast of what's going on. At the time Billy came in, the onscreen info was flipping between two messages:

Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) requested the Sanders Amendment be read into the record.
and
Senator Coburn has left the building.

Billy, who doesn't normally get excited about political sausage making, saw that and exclaimed, "That man should be fired - immediately!".

War on Xmas List

I thought it might be easier for everyone if I just post my Xmas list offa Craigslist. In no particular order:

• You know I like torn butts and I can not lie
• I don't usually send in for warranties anyway
• Of course I want something involving the dogs
• I'm not sure if this refers to Iraq or Afghanistan but I want
• I def want to be buried in a zombie casket
• This might be a metaphorical paintball gun, but I still want it
• Us child prodigies gotsta stick together

Veterans Day

Is this the best we can do for our vets?

• 6 preventable deaths a day among veterans due to lack of health insurance
• Vets make up 1/3 of adult homeless male population
• Sen. Coburn (R-OK) is preventing a bill designed to increase health services for vets from coming to the floor for a vote

Two Cents on Prejean's Sex Tape

Here's the thing: If Carrie Prejean had been your average Jane, I would be defending her right to make a masturbation tape and shouting down anyone who tried to smear her for it. Live and let live, you know. But she changed the equation when she went all holier-than-thou on the LGBT community. She could tell others how to live because she had been taught Christian values from the Bible. She knew what was best for everybody else because she herself was a pillar of Jesusy virtue. So I say, suck it Prejean. Or maybe you already did. On video.

Review of MJ Movie "This Is It"

Perhaps more aptly titled than I first thought, "This Is It" is probably not a release MJ would have approved had he lived but it is fascinating and enjoyable nonetheless. For a fan, it's a must see. I'm not sure viewers more casual in their MJ interest would appreciate it as much.

Let me start by saying what the movie is not - It's not a polished performance by any stretch. The songs are frequently stopped for revision and there are many times when he lays off the vocals to save his voice. Nor is it a "full dress rehearsal" as I'd read previously. No one is in stage costume and the only glimpse we get of MJ's stunning costume for "Billie Jean" is on the tailor's table. Still, even "street clothes" for MJ are slightly brilliant - it's not as if he's in sweatpants and t-shirt.

What the movie does offer is a chance to see MJ at work which is truly thrilling. He has an extremely detailed vision of precisely how the finished production will look and sound. Watching him work toward making this vision a reality is captivating. If you never appreciated the genius of MJ before, this movie makes it clear.

The main event of course is MJ's singing and dancing. Despite his extremely thin appearance, and contrary to rumors that he was a shell of his former self, his singing and dancing are total A-game. His voice sounds as good as ever and as I expected, he had reinvented himself in dance once again, with a style appropriate for a 50 year old man. There are fewer dramatic spins and throwing himself to his knees but more fancy footwork and he's absolutely no less amazing to watch than at any time past. There is no doubt, despite the jaw-dropping performances given by his dancers (who are half his age), MJ is the King.

In the end, seeing how vital and brilliant he was in the days leading up to his death, I couldn't help but feel an extra bit of sadness that he's gone. Had he appeared weak or half-hearted in any way, it might have made his death a bit easier to understand. But clearly, had he not surrounded himself with corrupt doctors and yes-men who ultimately yessed him to death, MJ would have been able to realize his vision, execute his scheduled performances and carry on with his family life for a good long time. But now, well - this is it.

Horror Film Classics: Sometimes They Call Back

So my parents just did something they'd never done before in their lives - they called one of their Senators. Joe Lieberman to be exact. They each called and told his office they want him to support the President's health care reform bill with a strong Public Option. I got the phone number for them and I gave them a script of what to say (at their request, they were nervous). My Dad copied down the script and then they each called. They called me afterwards, so proud of themselves. Then a few minutes later, my Mom calls me again. She wanted to share that after we last hung up, their phone rang and my Dad asked my Mom in all sincerity, "God but you don't think that's Joe Lieberman, do you?!" My Mom and I just about fell out.

Stop the Honor Killings by US Insurers

The health insurance companies have a stranglehold on the insured and women in particular have been garroted just for being female. (For women who are uninsured, fuggedaboutit.) Whether women are being told to get sterilized in order to obtain health insurance, or having their policies canceled after they get breast cancer, or denied insurance altogether due to a "pre-existing condition" of having been beaten by their husbands, it feels like insurance companies are misogynistic fat cats from Hell. Meanwhile our elected officials laugh at us while pocketing big bucks from the insurance industry and voting to maintain the status quo.

But enough about those of us lucky enough to still be alive despite what feels like a war on women by the insurance companies and their Congressional BFFs. Let's remember Crystal Lee Sutton who was forced to go without treatment for her brain cancer for months while she fought with her insurance company. She died in September 2009. 17 year old Nataline Sarkisyan's Mother fought with her insurance company over their denial of a recommended liver transplant which the insurer finally approved the day she died in 2007.

How are these different from so-called honor killings? A woman becomes a victim by virtue of her gender and "dishonors" the reputation (profit margin) of her family (insurance company). Therefore, she must die to restore honor (profit). This is tradition. This is the system men have designed for us and we must live by. Unless...

Take Action - Call your Representative and both your Senators and tell them you support President Obama's plan for health care reform. And get your sound minded husbands, partners and male friends to call too. We want an end to discriminatory practices against women by the insurance industry. Equal rights to health care for an equal chance to live!

Child Abuse?

The lawyer for the Balloon Family says making the parents do the perp walk in front of the media would be akin to "child abuse". I'm not so sure. Maybe child abuse might be better defined as telling your kids to lie to police so your family could get a TV show and then dragging them on a vomit media tour to promote the hoax. Perhaps seeing the parents perp walked before cameras might be educational for the kids, teaching them the concept of consequences for actions and providing a dose of true reality TV.

I'm a Vegetarian

but we are in a recession and $1.69 for 2 pounds is a really good price

Action Alert: SC Senators Vote Against Constitutional Rights of Rape Victims

Both of South Carolina's Senators voted against the Franken amendment to allow rape victims to have their day in court, even if they work for a government contractor. It passed anyway.

Tell the Senators what you think of their votes:

• Sen. Lindsey Graham on Twitter
• Sen. Graham's contact info for snail mail, e-mail and phone
• Sen. Graham will host a Town Hall Meeting on October 12 at 6:15 pm in Greenville, SC.

• Sen. Jim DeMint on Twitter
• Sen. Jim DeMint's contact info for snail mail and phone (online form for e-mail here)