From The Hill's Pundits Blog

Last week I was attacked by a "reader" in response to my article about socialism. This person brought up Rush Limbaugh's claim that lower taxes for the rich resulted in higher revenues. I told him that wasn't what I was talking about. I was saying that our government should be focused on all Americans’ interests, not just the interests of the well-off. This person then claimed that I was dishonest and that I had "moved the goalposts" (perhaps he hadn't actually read my article). In psychology they call this reaction projection:

In psychology, psychological projection (or projection bias) is a defense mechanism in which one attributes one’s own unacceptable or unwanted thoughts or/and emotions to others. Projection reduces anxiety by allowing the expression of the unwanted subconscious impulses/desires without letting the conscious mind recognize them. (Wikipedia)

This is exactly what this person did. He attacked me for "moving the goalposts" as he "moved the goalposts" by misrepresenting my argument. I was thinking about this reaction at work and realized that almost all Republicans suffer from this disconnection. Let us explore a few examples in recent news stories.

John McCain claims that Barack Obama is a "class warrior.” That he will be responsible for unethical "redistribution of wealth" once he becomes president. But in reality, the biggest redistribution of wealth has occurred during the last four years.

The top 10 percent of households saw their net worth rise by 6.1 percent to an average of $3.11 million while the bottom 25 percent suffer a decline from a net worth in which their assets equaled their liabilities in 2001 to owing $1,400 more than their total assets in 2004 … [Although] those on the top 10 percent of the income distribution have been seeing income gains of only about 1 percent a year … those in the top .1 percent of the income distribution saw a gain of 87 percent, and those in the top .01 percent registered a gain of 497 percent. (Ehrenreich/Associated Press)

The Republicans have shoveled money directly to the super-rich! Sounds like wealth redistribution to me …

ACORN's voter registration drive for low-income groups is being attacked by Republicans. They say that fake voter registration forms are responsible for compromising democracy by throwing the election. Last week the owner of the Young Political Majors, a firm contracted to register voters for the GOP, was arrested for registration fraud.

Jacoby's arrest by state investigators and the Ontario Police Department late Saturday came after dozens of voters said they were duped into registering as Republicans by people employed by YPM. The voters said YPM workers tricked them by saying they were signing a petition to toughen penalties against child molesters. (Los Angeles Times)

Earlier this year, Colorado college student received notices that they could not vote if their parents filed them as "dependents" on their taxes, traced to Republicans. And Republicans have even bragged about denying recently foreclosed-upon Americans the vote because their registration becomes invalid.

Fiscal responsibility is what seems to be the entire theme of John McCain's campaign. He talks about exposing corruption, stopping earmarks and spending freezes, and how Obama will spend us into oblivion. But his choice of Sarah "Bridge to Nowhere" Palin (and the matter of the $150,000 dropped on threads) and his support of the big bank bailout and the $720 million-a-day war he thinks should never end should make his case difficult to make. He should try pointing at his own party, who have been notorious for corruption and scandal in recent years.

So let's get real. No more defense mechanisms and delusions. Don't try to trick us then call us the scoundrels. Be honest with voters so they can make informed decisions.

Wow Barack Obama runs the air waves tonight. He bought time on the TV right before the World Series. It was a positive and moving video about the shortcomings of our current government and what Obama will do to bring about the change we need. Then Obama will appear on The Rachael Maddow Show (won't play till tomorrow night) then on late night tv He will appear on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Tune in!

-Tad

Clepto-Senator Ted Stevens found guilty.

Despite the prosecution almost boning the case by getting some the evidence thrown out Senator Ted Stevens is found guilty of seven charges. All seven charges are for false statements and he won't be removed until he has time to appeal the decision. Sarah Palin said in responce to this verdict "it is a sad day for Alaska". You have got to be kidding me.

Why is “socialist” an insult? At face value the word sounds good. It's got “social” in it. One of Dictionary.com's definitions for "social" is as follows:

living or disposed to live in companionship with others or in a community

Well, so far that sounds good. I guess it's all about that scandalous little “ist” there at the end — there’s the problem. Terrorist, sadist, misogynist — all are pretty negative classifications. But on the other hand, philanthropist, dentist and specialist are all good things to be called.

“Socialist” together as one word is defined by Dictionary.com as:

a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.

That sounds pretty radical. I can see how this could be jarring to some, in a "duh Guburn-ment gonna take mah stuff” type of way. But if you think about it, I don't think it is such a radical idea. America is already a little socialist. We have welfare, Medicaid, public education, parks and infrastructure paid for with taxpayer money.

The assumption that many Republicans make is that "taking from the most hardworking and industrious among us and spreading it around is unfair.” It is fair. It's fair because "hardworking and industrious" sometimes has little to do with why these people are so well-off. Of the Forbes 400 richest Americans, 39 percent owe their wealth, to some degree, to inheritance.

Even the self-made super-rich owe to America the resources, conditions and climate that allowed for this success. Isn't it only fair that they give back to the system? Success doesn't happen in a vacuum. The Google guys wouldn't be rich if Americans (with a lot of help from the Guburn-ment) hadn't invented the Internet. The mining industry couldn't make a dime without tapping into America's resources. Our resources, right? Where would distributors be without the roads? And so on.

We recently nationalized a few banks (maybe just their debt). We also subsidize, and even write checks to, corporations and build sports stadiums for privately owned teams and infrastructure for other special interests. Communities all over America use taxpayer money to offer huge incentive packages to lure businesses. The rich and powerful seem to get a lot from Uncle Sam. Robert Reich noted on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” "We have socialism for the rich and capitalism for everyone else.”

Our lives are so dependent on corporations today; shouldn't we have a little say in the direction we are headed — especially since they have demonstrated that, if left in control, they will only concern themselves with short-term capital gain? The Dow's current instability is a direct result of this short-term thinking. We are driving off a cliff because those in control were only looking a few feet in front of the car.

All the selfish thinking coming from the right is another example of short-term thought. They think that tax loopholes, self-regulated safety standards, elimination of social programs and budget cutting will cure all. All these are short-term approaches that will prove only to make our and even their lives worse. Poverty and crime go hand and hand, so what good is all your fancy stuff if you always have to worry about it?

If Uncle Sam instead gave a little to those at the bottom, they could pay their bills and buy things. Bills issued, and things provided by, corporations. When we play fair, we all get our fair share. We learn that in kindergarten. Plus, if the interests of regular Americans became our government’s cause, we could take the controls back from the ill-suited hands of CEOs. So why is “socialist” an insult?

Visit The Hill's Pundits Blog. I wrote an article that explores the 'socialist' insult that been flying around recently. You can get there by clicking the link above or by clicking the button to the right of this post.

-Tad

Sarah Palin spends 150,000$ on wardrobe and hair and make-up. That is ridicules. That's four teachers salaries, or a nice house. I don't even think that she is looking that good. I mean how many white coats and red jackets did she get? And a lot of her little power suits make he butt look weird (If I could find a picture it would be awesome, but you will have to take my word for it). She should have just called the "What Not to Wear" folks, Clint and Stacy. They could have done way better. And they would have only spent like 15,000 and she would be looking great (and wearing colors other than Red and White).

What, is Sarah Palin shopping with 300,000$ outfit Cindy McCain? That must be the answer. I think Sarah and Cindy were just running up Daddy's card like Cindy's used to. It is disgusting that throughout this champagne, so far, both of them have been calling Obama an elitist! What nerve. What kind of Hockey mom shops at Neiman Marcus anyway? So much for that persona. (Awe snap! I guess that now everyone will know I watch WNTW, so much for my tough guy persona).

Plus don't down ticket Repubs need money really bad? It seems strange to spend that much on clothes when your party is in such serious trouble. Like polishing the bass on the titanic.

Now all the conservative talk show hosts are making excuses. Mika Brzezinski said if she looked bad we would all be talking about that. But I think that if she looked bad people would pay more attention to the fact that she talks like the Miss Teen USA contestant from South Carolina, with absolutely no sentience structure or underlying argument. It's just a bunch of catch phrases strung together.Take a look.

Wow huh? Spewing out catch phrases, I think, is a easy way to tell if someone has no idea what they are talking about. They have memorized bits but don't understand the issue comprehensively.

The jerk in the fancy suit on Morning Joe this morning, said over and over, The game changed on McCain. Sarah Palin was the ‘American Idol’ pick, but because of the economy, the game has changed to ‘Jeopardy.’ I think he's on to something though. Suddenly Obama's professorial manner is looking really good. I can't wait to have smart people in charge of America.

See this post also on The Hill's Pundits Blog.

(Thanks for the correct quote Mike!)

-Tad

Ba-Zing

Win water for needy children and learn about America's messed up Healthcare system with the CIGNA: Water Challenge.

-Tad

Freshy, Shiny, Crisp and Clean; Brand Spanking New Museum

The California Academy of Science - San Francisco

The California Academy of Science was an awesome spectacle to behold. Directly across from the De Young Museum in Golden Gate Park is where the brand spanking new museum can be found. The exterior is gorgeously landscaped and the building is massive but, a little boring and boxy on the outside.

The inside was a different matter. The two above level exhibits are housed in a giant spheres that reminded me of what it would be like to be a fly in the blouse of Pamela Anderson. The right breast housed the rainforest exhibit, the left was the new state-of-the-art planetarium. Downstairs was a spectacular aquarium, where the largest Philippine coral colony in this hemisphere lives (also the largest colony grown in captivity). There was also a glassy walled cafe, a 3-D theatre, a living roof and a magnificent concourse. From the upper level one can see through the entire interior of the building; through the rainforest trees, the pond, on through the water and into the underwater aquarium tube, to the people wandering below.

The Rainforest section was incredible, at different levels of the sphere different frogs and insects, from different levels of rainforest canopy, on exhibit in glass terrariums. Butterflies and birds fly freely around the interior of the dome. Along the edge of the walkway, information about the worlds rainforests can be found. There was a long line to get into the climate controlled dome but it moved quickly.

I wish I could tell you about the Planetarium, but being that the museum is so new and crowded, we were not able to get tickets to any of the day's shows. I guess everyone is getting their tickets online. They were around 10$

I also wish we could have gone to the 3-D show. It was supposed to be about bugs, which would have been cool, but they said that we could only watch if we waited in line, on standby. I didn't want to waste the 35$ I would have spent, if I didn't get the tickets for free, waiting the entire time in front of the Dinosaur skeleton.

On the upside the Aquarium is badassed. There are many different types and sizes of fishes from all over the world. Also jellyfish and a starfish touch pond. Fun! Also an albino and regular crocodile. Also super huge river tortoises(sp?). Can you tell it was exciting? Check out the pictures. Just click on photo above. There is also a link to their website. Have fun.

Check out the Oval Office with Palin in Charge

Here at PalinAsPresident.com

-Tad

Last debate tonight! It will be at 9pm eastern time. That's 6pm our time. As promised I made a simple drinking game for this debate

Debate Drinking Game (I couldn't find a McCain beer pic)

If John McCain says any of the following words or phrases drink one sip/gulp of your beverage

• "Wurshington"
• "Reign in spending..."
• "ear-marks/pork barrel"
• "Maverick"

If Barack Obama says any of the following words or phrases one sip/gulp

• "Middle Class"
• "Big-Oil"
• "Change"
• "Fat-cats"

Have fun tonight!

-Tad

Paul Krugman wins Noble Prize. I have been a long time reader of his blog. He wins the Noble Prize for economics. I must be on the right track. Just kidding. Congratulations Paul K. You rule.

What is the deal with ACORN? There is a lot of confusion in regards to this "scandal". Truthfully voter fraud cannot be committed until someone votes, so this is all just a game the republicans play whenever they are losing. Basically the fraudulent voter reg cards don't lead to voter fraud. If you put mickey mouse on there it doesn't mean he is going to vote, he is a cartoon character. This is a trick so that Rethuglicans can purge poor people off voter registration so they lose their right to vote. They accomplish this by muddling the argument so we think ACORN is cheating when really, ACORN is being cheated. Want a better explanation? Read Josh Marshall's explanation here (It's better than mine).

Book Report

Barbara Ehrenreich: This Land Is Their Land

Read an excerpt here at The Nation

I knew what I was getting into when I borrowed this book from my local library, I read her last book, Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America. Read about N+D here. Ehrenreich really got my progressive engine going. Her book is spilt into small essays, collected into groups based on their subject matter. The subjects discussed; Chasms of Inequality, Meanness On the Rise, Strangling the Middle Class, Hell Day at Work, Declining Health, Getting Sex Straight and False Gods, are issues front and center on the champagne trail this season.

Here are some excerpts.

For Chasms of Inequality; Going to Extremes: CEOs vs. Slaves

"thirty to forty years ago the CEOs of major companies earned 80 percent more, on average, than the third-highest-paid executives. By the early part of the twenty first century, however, the gap between the CEO and the third in command had ballooned up to 260 percent."

from Strangling the Middle Class

"...the wage gap between the college educated and the non-college educated is beginning to narrow, and not because the wages of the ladder are rising... But with tuition up between $10,000 and $50,000, the "return on investment" isn't looking that good."

"...the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. To quote the Associated Press: ""The top 10 percent of of households saw their net worth rise by 6.1 percent to an average of $3.11 million while the bottom 25 percent suffer a decline from a net worth in which their assets equaled their liabilities in 2001 to owing $1,400 more than their total assets in 2004...(Although) those on the top 10 percent of the income distribution have been seeing income gains of only about 1 percent a year ...those in the top 1 percent of the income distribution saw a gain of 87 percent, and those in the top .01 percent registered a gain of 497 percent. That's right: four hundred and ninty-seven percent."

Barbara was conflicted however in A Uterus Is Not a Substitute for a Conscience, the torture and shaming conducted by female prison guards at Abu Ghraib and condoned by the female prison administrators forever killed the naive feminist assumption

"implicit or outright, that women were morally superior to men. We had a lot of debates over whether it was biology or conditioning that gave women the moral edge -or simply the experience of being a women in a sexist culture. But the assumption of superiority, or at least of a lesser inclination toward cruelty and violence, was more or less beyond debate."

I thought the last section, False Gods, was really great. In Who Moved My Ability to Reason, Ehrenreich breaks down today's most popular self-help books. How they tell their readers; to blame themselves, to be upbeat in spite of worsening situations, to never question authority and to put work ahead of all other concerns, and, oh yeah, and The Secret's "wish hard enough and it will happen" mantra. Then wonders...

"If you find the(se lessons) immoral, delusional or insulting to the human spirit, you should humbly consider the fact that, to judge from the blurbs on the backs of these books, they have won the endorsements of numerous actual CEOs of predominate companies. Maybe the books tell us what these fellows want their underlings to believe."

In conclusion, my report doesn't do this book justice. If the excerpts here have made you mad about the way our country is going, This Land is Their Land will make you furious, sad, empathic, incredulous and hopeful all within 235 pages.

Check it out at your local library

-Tad

Dow gains 962 points! Why did I not invest this weekend? That's the largest rise in the DJIA history. Cool!

The main stream media news people are already asking "Will McCain come back now?". I don't think the msm knows that we work for a living. We need jobs. We don't make all our money with investments, because we weren't born with millions in the bank. House repubs and McCain think that; getting rid of capital gains taxes will win over the middle class, keep forgetting this fact. McCain is out of touch.

Coming this week:

Book Report - Barbara Ehrenreich This Land Is Their Land

Fresh and Shiny Museum - The California Academy of Science - San Francisco

Debate Drinking Game! yeah!

-Tad

Looks like it's time for a comic

Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net

State Ballot Initiatives

I will make printable versions of these in November. Until then read up!

I will see you on Nov 4

-Tad

Check out the BoneStorm crew at www.irvine-sucks.com

Confused by all the ballot initiatives? I was. There are 34 of them this November.

San Francisco Proposals

I will do the Guide for the Statewide Propositions tomorrow. Register to vote until October 21st. Don't forget. And also remember to vote on Nov. 4th!

-Tad

Who is the real Barack Obama?

Dow slides below 8700 today. That sounds not good to me. So was the bailout supposed to stop the bleed, or just hook up these big time execs bank accounts on their way out? It looks more and more like the ladder. AIG for example, took the money and now claim they need more, while they get manicures on 100 million dollar junkettes!

WTF?

-Tad

Wow the pundits agree Obama stomped out McCain in Tennessee. McCain sat awkwardly in his stool and paced in the background ghoulishly while Obama spoke. McCain's behavior inspired this post by JCrush on HuffingtonPost.com.

The only pundits who don't agree that Obama won claim that it was a tie because the format was boring (Lou Dobbs and Glen Beck).

-Tad

Debate tonight in Tennessee 6pm our time. Why are these things all in the south?

oh snap it's starting.

Palin rallies get ugly... toward media. A rally goer apparently yelled a racist slur to a black sound guy at a Palin rally in Florida. These guys get scarier everyday.

-Tad

Rolling Stone takes a hard look at McCain's record. Check out The Make Believe Maverick.

Keating Economics

John McCain, through his pitbull in lipstick, began to attack Obama today, connecting him to William Ayers, in order to change the subject to anything but the economy. The Obama campagine just released "Keating Economics: John McCain and the Making of a Financial Crisis" in order to turn the subject back to the economy. Not that anyone need any help in that department, with the Dow Jones in full nosedive (currently down 720 points, closing down 360 points).

-Tad

What do you think? Personally I think Biden killed it.

Email me and tell me what you think. Its.a.blog.dog@gmail.com

Next debate is between Obama and McCain on Tuesday October 7th same bat time same bat channel.

Let's play Palin Bingo! Print out a card and cross out the boxes containing the Palin phrases we can't stop hearing.

The debate is at 6:00 CA time so :30 minutes. Exciting!

And the other Sarah. Sarah Silverman! Getting the more age'ed Jews on the Obama wagon.

-Tad

Sarah Palin hates women...

Mr. T on motherhood.

Thanks for the video Zack!

-Tad