IOOKIARDI: The Dahmer Edition

As the gentle reader is fully aware, Graeme Zielinski was demoted from his position as spokesman for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin for tweeting about Scott Walker's legal defense team versus that of Jeffrey Dahmer.

The Teapublicans were howling for his head, as were a number of the Democrats as well.

But it is turning out to be a matter of It's Only OK If A Republican Does It.

As Jeff Simpson wrote earlier, former Senator Bob Kasten accused Russ Feingold of being a Dahmer sympathizer.

Before that, I wrote about how Christian Schneider and even Dear Leader Scott Walker did the old Dahmer comparisons.

As it turns out, Schneider had a real attraction to writing about Dahmer.

For those hat might not be aware of some of the wonkiness of the Cheddarsphere, Schneider use to blog under the pen name of Dennis York.

It's Schneider's work under the York pseudonym that really shows Schneider's odd attraction to Dahmer.

He used Dahmer's name in not just one, not just two and not just three, but at least four different posts.

It is the fourth post that shows the demented nature of Schneider's mind:

Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager’s comical attempt to personally prosecute North Woods Shooter Chai Vang has sparked more ideas for character rehabilitation for the AG. It has been announced that Lautenschlager will re-open the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial later this month. Lautenschlager also has plans to exhume the skeleton of Jeffery Dahmer to collect on some old parking tickets.

To refresh the gentle reader's memory, Chai Vang was the Hmong immigrant that killed six deer hunters and attempted to kill two other hunters.

What Schneider finds so comical about the Attorney General taking a mass murderer to trial for his crimes isn't clear, but then again, most of the things that Teapublicans do simply doesn't make sense.

The question that still remains is whether Charlie Sykes, who just can't stop attacking Zielinksi even after he's gone, will hold Schneider to the same high standards, or is he just another hypocritical Megatroll?  My guess is don't expect Sykes to be holding Schneider accountable for anything.  That would require integrity that neither Sykes nor Schneider possess.

Pro-Romney Business Owner Hits Obama On Taxes, Forgets He Didn't Pay Any Taxes

Own Wisconsin Now has found another "Oopsie" moment from the pro-Romney camp:

A recent pro-Romney super-PAC television ad features Joseph Buechel of Wisconsin, who identifies himself as a small business owner, decrying the Obama Administration's tax policy. However, tax records obtained by One Wisconsin Now show Buechel's business, Natural Stone Veneers International, Inc., has paid nothing in state corporate income taxes in any of the last five years, and, based on his reported personal state income tax liability, it appears he, like 97% of small business owners, would not be affected by President Obama's proposal to allow the Bush tax cuts for those with incomes over $250,000 to expire.

One Wisconsin Now Executive Director Scot Ross commented, "Mr. Buechel has a lot to say about taxes and the Obama administration for someone whose business hasn't paid a dime in state corporate income taxes for the entire first term of the President and who would almost certainly would not pay more by President Obama's proposal to ask millionaires to pay their fair share of taxes."

Information obtained by One Wisconsin Now from the Department of Revenue shows the business Mr. Buechel owns, Natural Stone Veneers International, Inc., paid no state corporate income tax between 2007 and 2011.

One Wisconsin Now also reviewed Department of Revenue records of the personal state income tax paid by Mr. Buechel between 2007 and 2011. The tax liability he reported appears to be based on an annual income far below $250,000, meaning he would not be paying any tax increase that could occur if, as President Obama has proposed, the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans were allowed to expire.

Gee, why is it that Republican arguments never hold up when you shed a little light on them?

Fumbling Hypocrites

On Monday night, the Green Bay Packers lost to the Seattle Seahawks on a rather controversial call made by the scab referees filling in while the unionized refs are out due to a labor dispute.

For kicks and giggles, I took a look at what some of the most extreme anti-union right wing nut jobs are saying about the game.

Fred Dooley was so upset he posted about it twice, putting the blame specifically on the replacement refs and questioning the integrity of the game.

Freedom Eden so far has the lead with three posts complaining about the game, blaming the replacement refs and even cheering on the players exercising free speech. Needless to say, she doesn't show the same support for the teachers or other workers in the state.

And I would be remiss if I did not point out crazy, old Dad29 that somehow ties the game in with Roe v Wade.

But my favorite so far is by the lefty and venerable James Rowen, who points out the anti-union Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's hypocrisy, going so far as even calling the scabs scabs.

Isn't it amazing how one doesn't appreciate what they got until it's gone?

What makes it all the more shameful is the fact that the right wingers are incapable and/or unwilling to learn from the lesson they were given.

What Greasy Fast Food Would Jesus Eat?

The faux outrage over Chick-Fil-A rages on.

In case the gentle reader was in a coma for the last few days, there has been a big brouhaha about the fast food pit called Chick-Fil-A. The owner of the compnay, Dan Cathy, is a raging homophobe and has contributed a lot of money and energy into anti-homosexual agendas. Maybe he's so freaked out about homosexuals from some long ago emotional trauma of having been teased for having a girl's name as his last name. Who knows? Who cares?

Because of his rampant homophobia and hate, people had begun a boycott of his business. Furthermore, mayors from around the country are condemning Cathy's hateful message and are considering denying him from opening stores in their cities.

This got the right wingers, who cannot pass up a good old fashioned snit, from raging their faux, selective outrage by gathering all the homophobes up for a good old hate chicken dinner.

Mary of Freedom Eden thinks this is great. In her opinion, it's about free speech and not about gay rights:

Americans are showing their support for the Bill of Rights and our basic freedoms by going to Chick-fil-A.

That has to really tick off the Leftists who believe in free speech only if it aligns with their own beliefs.

That's a rather ironic statement to make since she is condemning liberals for exercising their free speech.

The fact is both sides have a right to free speech.

Cathy can make all the homophobic and hateful comments he wants. Those that support his message of hate, bigotry and intolerance are free to eat at his restaurants.

And the sane people have a right to condemn him for his irrational hatred and to boycott his business in protest.

Heck, I'd boycott Chick-Fil-A too, but that would mean that I'd have to start eating their in the first place, and I'm just not into masochism.

But for pure hypocrisy, one has to see this post by "Lou" at the utterly misnamed Real Debate Wisconsin (emphasis mine):

Mayor Rahm Emmanuel of Chicago, and Mayor Tom Menino of Boston have both made threats to block expansion of the chain into their cities, based upon the CEO's opposition to gay marriage. No matter what your opinion of that particular issue, the idea that a government official could make your property rights conditional upon passing an ideological litmus test should scare the hell out of you.

Really?

Off the top of my head, I could think of three examples that the right wing nut jobs might try to use their ideology as a litmus test as conditions for property rights, where even old Lou might protest:

• Building a mosque
• Opening an adult entertainment store
• Opening a group home for the disabled and/or mentally ill

Like I said, that was just off the top of my head.

What I find sickening and sad is that while these right wing nut jobs are moaning and groaning about people condemning Cathy's hateful attitude, they are complaining that this is somehow an infringement on his First Amendment right of Free Speech. The fact is that Cathy and his supporters are still free to say what they want, no matter how wrong it is.

But they don't bat an eye at Cathy using his wealth from his restaurants to try to actually squash the rights of homosexuals to live freely and as equals.

I'm sure they believe that all people are created equal, but in their hate-filled, bigoted eyes, some people are more equal than others.

Oops, Romney Does It Again!

Last week, in an article discussing the brouhaha regarding President Barack Obama's statement that we must all work together, I pointed out a piece by Zach Wisniewski at Blogging Blue which showed Mitt Romney saying the same damn thing.

Now Digby has Romney doing it again, this time while addressing our Olympic athletes:

ROMNEY: You Olympians, however, know you didn’t get here solely on your own power. For most of you, loving parents, sisters or brothers, encouraged your hopes, coaches guided, communities built venues in order to organize competitions. All Olympians stand on the shoulders of those who lifted them. We’ve already cheered the Olympians, let’s also cheer the parents, coaches, and communities.

You'll have to excuse me if I don't hold my breath for the deluge of right wing opinion pieces calling out their candidate for saying the same thing Obama did - twice.

Misleading Report Is Misleading, No Matter How Many Times It's Echoed

The Wall Street Journal, aka The Daily Republican, had a report that is titled, I kid you not, "Political Spending by Unions Far Exceeds Direct Donations."  They breathlessly say unions spent four times the money than what was reported on political activity.

What they did was count everything from lobbying to holding rallies (and protests) to cookouts and called it political activity.

The brain-dead zombie echo chamber dutifully parroted this "astonishing" report.

But what none of them did was show a comparison to anyone else and their spending, say like Big Business.

But Open Secrets does:

So while the right wing zombie nut jobs whine about $4.4 billion over years five years, they are suspiciously mum about Big Business spending more than 14 times that much money.  Of course, at least one of the zombies is a known employee of the Koch Boyz, so you can't expect anything like integrity from them.

Sean Duffy Pegs The Hypocrisy Meter

With a tip of the hat to Karoli at Crooks & Liars, check out this video of an interview Sean Duffy did on Faux News last month.   Pay close attention at about the 1:13 mark:



Did you catch that?

Duffy is saying that the only reason President Barack Obama won in 2008 was because "he was cool, he was hip, he could dance, he could sing."

That's pretty freaking ironic coming from a guy who's claim to fame is being a reality TV star and appearing in a pro-gay marriage video which he has since tried to disown.

But Duffy's claims that Obama's agenda has come up empty really pegs the needle on the hypocrisy meter.

Look at what Duffy has "accomplished" in his first and last term as a US Congressman.  He's told his constituents, many of whom have lost their jobs due to Republican agendas, that he simply can't make it on $174,000 a year.  Then, after he alienates his constituency with his elitism and white whine, takes part in the secrecy pact for the Republican's gerrymandering, just to try to protect the seat of which he is not worthy.  And lest we forget, he said that he would not vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act* until he found a replacement for it.  Yeah, he's still looking.

This fall, it's definitely time to give Duffy the opportunity to do the only thing he really wants to do and that is, to be perfectly honest, the only thing he is qualified to do - preen before a mirror telling himself how great he is, since no one else will.

*What part of affordable can't the Republicans understand?

Walker Wants To Work Together? As If!

Lisa Mux shared this article from The Detroit News with me. The article reports that Scott Walker wants to be the healer to the wounds he has caused by having everyone "work together":

Now the rising Republican star is focusing his message on what lies ahead. His term runs through 2014 in a state that is still bitterly divided over his move to end collective bargaining rights for most public employees.

"It's time to put our differences aside and find ways to work together to move Wisconsin forward," Walker said in an interview minutes after his victory. "I think it's important to fix things, but it's also important to make sure we talk about it and involve people in the process."

Walker planned to invite all members of the Legislature to meet as soon as next week over burgers, brats and "maybe a little bit of good Wisconsin beer."

"The first step is just bringing people together and figuring out some way if we can thaw the ice," he said.

Gee, now where did I hear this one before?

Oh yeah! Just last year after the first round of recalls cut down on his ability to ram through his corporate agenda:

Gov. Scott Walker called for mending the jagged edges of a deeply divided state Wednesday, pledging a renewed focus on bipartisanship and jobs in the wake of Senate recall elections as he dismissed Democrats' talk of recalling him in 2012.

Walker said the results of the Senate recalls, in which his party held that house but lost two senators, vindicated his focus on jobs and the state budget but also showed that voters want their leaders to work more cooperatively.

Tuesday's results failed to produce a decisive victory for Democrats or to kill their plans of removing Walker from office over his legislation to end most collective bargaining for public employees in the state.

But the Republican governor, upbeat after a late election night in which he telephoned winners from both parties, said he would push forward on priorities such as education reform and a bill to spur venture capital investing despite calls Wednesday by Democrats to make him the first Wisconsin governor to be recalled.

Voters "want us to do more working together," he said Wednesday in an interview in his Capitol office. "I'm not pretending that everything is going to automatically be perfect at the snap of a finger, but I think the best thing we can do is start with small things and keep working."

I pointed out at that time that his words were nothing but empty rhetoric, and that he should not be believed. To prove my point, I used some other words which Walker said while testifying under oath before a congressional committee:

"Sometimes," the Republican governor told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, "bipartisanship is not so good."

Since his call for "working together" last summer, Walker and his cohorts in corporate crime* have attacked women's rights, further attacked school and colleges, attacked veterans, and tried to destroy the environment in Northern Wisconsin with a toxic mine, all over the protests of Democrats and of the people.

That's not exactly working together now, is it?

There was no reason to believe him then, which proved all too well, and there's no reason to believe him now.

*Scott Walker and his Cohorts in Corporate Crime would make a great name for a crappy band.

It's Hard To Be A Conservative

To be a conservative, you have to blame President Barack Obama for creating jobs by claiming that the drop in unemployment percentages is due to the number of people in the workforce has dropped.  At the same time, you have to point at the drop in unemployment as a success, even though Walker led Wisconsin to be the only state to have a statistically significant job loss.

It's amazing that their little pea brains don't implode from the cognitive dissonance.

The Ryan Braun Affair Shows Right Wing Hypocrisy

Unless you live under a rock, you've probably heard that Milwaukee Brewer star player Ryan Braun won an arbitration, avoiding a 50-game suspension for allegedly using a banned substance.

To be honest, I couldn't care less, since I don't follow baseball.

What I do find interesting is the hypocrisy displayed by the right side regarding this.

Braun was only able to take it to arbitration, and win the reprieve, because of an agreement between Major League Baseball and the Players Association.  In other words, it was because of collective bargaining that Braun even had the opportunity to appeal, much less prevail over, the wrong decision and action taken by MLB.

Yet, the people that loathe collective bargaining and unions in general, people like radio squawkers Charlie Sykes and Jeff Wagner, and right wing blowhards like Fred Dooley, "Roland Melnick" from Badger Blogger, Rick Esenberg and "Mary" from Freedom Eden, to a person, crowed about the Braun victory that collective bargaining had won.

I don't know from whence this breath-taking display of hypocrisy comes from.  It could be their stunning level of cognitive dissonance that allows them to do this without their heads exploding.  Maybe it's their belief that only the rich deserve to have rights. Maybe it's just that they're two-faced weasels.

Regardless of their reasoning, they really should re-evaluate their positions and either recognize that collective bargaining is not only good, but vital, for all people or they should retract their support for Braun and show themselves for who they really are.

Pot Demands Kettle To Apologize

This is worth a giggle:

“At best the wording of his letter was cumbersome and sloppy. At worst it was written with the purposeful intent to lead the readers of the letter (including journalists and the general public) into believing that Mr. Osmulski consulted and coordinated with Mr. Sikma and then provided the DA with the name of Media Trackers’ source.

“We can see how the wording of the Landgraf letter could lead some to question the vigor and professionalism of the entire investigation conducted by the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s office.

“We are calling on Assistant District Attorney Bruce Landgraf to issue a clarification forthwith and respectfully request that media outlets who reported incorrect information based on Landgraf’s letter issue a correction.”

Aw, that's OK MacGuyver - I'm still waiting for my correction as well.

Also see, Illy-T's take.

Comment Of The Day

Yesterday I posted about the holiday hypocrisy of the right, in which the right wing nut jobs who think the left has a vendetta against Christmas is trying to removed the reason for Labor Day. To highlight this, I swiped and posted this poster:

A clever commenter left the comment of the day regarding the poster:

Just in case anyone forgot. This in not a picture of the Koch brothers. The flag of Wisconsin portrays industry ( agriculture ) and sea fairing trade.

Quote Of The Day

Taken from a friend's acebook posting about the Wausau Labor Day Parade:

Of course there were GOP supporters @ the Wausau Labor Day Parade. Their Minnesota license plates let us know that...

I guess it was too far to drive from Illinois.