The Weekly Rewind

It's the middle of July. It's getting hot in many areas of the country and you know what happens when it gets hot...that right people do stupid things. So let's see what stupid things have happened this past week. Maybe we will find some surprises along the way ...

Applaud: to getting votes with a great nickname. Earlier this week the state elections chief in Texas ruled that Richard Friedman could use his nickname on the November ballot in the race for governor, as long as it was accompanied by his full given name. What is Richard’s nickname? ‘Kinky’as in Richard ‘Kinky’ Friedman. The well known musician and author, who obtained his nickname (because of his curly hair) in 1962, is running as an independent. The same elections chief also ruled that another independent candidate could not use ‘Grandma’ on the ballot as that is a slogan and not a nickname. Besides, can you imagine the ‘guilt’ campaign that would be run by chiding you to vote for ‘Grandma’ for governor?

Heckle: to getting whacked with the truth. Columnist Robert Novak confirmed this weekthat one of his sources that named Valerie Plame as a covert CIA operative was none other than White House Advisor Karl ‘Mr. Teflon’ Rove. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, Rove needs to go…..he also needs to be indicted….

Heckle part II: When Karl Rove was asked about the outing of Valerie Plame last week. He reportedly said that after a “careful, thoughtful, aggressive investigation,” the person responsible for leaking should be fired. Ok Karl, when can we expect your ass to be canned?

Applaud / Heckle or Just plain confused: A recent Washington Post/ABC News pollasked about potential democratic candidates for President in 2008, especially Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY). While Fifty-four percent of those responding viewed her favorably and give her even higher marks for leadership, strong family values and being open and friendly, only Thirty-seven percent of Democrats said that they would definitely vote for her for President. One respondent said "I think she's a little hard, She may be strong, but at the same time, if you're driven sometimes you're perceived as not having sympathy. And perception is reality for most of us." That seems to sum up a lot of peoples feelings and if Hillary cannot overcome the perception she is dead in the water.

Applaud: to forcing the issue. Mark Nickolas of The Bluegrass Report has filed suit against Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R). Gov. Fletcher banned the blog from state computers last month, one day after Nickolas was quoted in a New York Times article critical of Fletcher. We stand behind you Mark!

Heckle: to scraping the barrel. The Army is staying on track to meet its target of 80,000 new soldiers this year. Lowered standards have helped. The Army has eased restrictions on high school drop-outs, raised the maximum age from 35 to 42, and admitted large numbers of neo-Nazis and skinhead extremists.
Wow, that should help the military’s image at home and abroad. I can see the commercials now…and they scare me…

Applaud: to we can only hope. Will Ann Coulter be dropped from The Shreveport Times? The paper says it’s been “buried alive under an avalanche” of emails over the question, but has “yet to make a decision.” Write the editor with your thoughts.

Heckle: to getting no widespread attention. A Treasury Department analysis “presented in the Mid-Session Review itself confirms what outside experts have consistently said - tax cuts do not come remotely close to paying for themselves.” Wow, and we needed an official analysis to figure that one out? How much did that study cost?

Applaud: to no one being above the law. A federal judge ruled yesterday that the controversial seizure of records from Rep. William Jefferson’s (D-LA) legislative offices was legal. Investigators told ABC News “an indictment is likely sometime this summer.” You reap what you sow. I bet he could use some cold hard cash right now, oh wait, that is what got him in trouble in the first place.

Heckle: to not doing anything about it. There is as much wind power potential off our coasts “as the current capacity of all power plants in the United States combined,” according to a new report sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, and General Electric. And you’re going to do what with this info?

Heckle: to an obvious side deal. The U.S. government “is discontinuing a controversial multibillion-dollar deal with oil services giant Halliburton Co. to provide logistical support to U.S. troops worldwide.” Ok, and what new deal is the government making with Halliburton to replace this one?

Applaud: to our hopes being realized. Ann Coulter dumped!! That’s right, you heard me. The first newspaper “to officially drop Coulter’s column since the latest uproar began seems to be The Gazette of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she had appeared for about 14 months.” The Shreveport Times is still considering the decision. Keep e-mailing them.

Heckle: to talking out your ass. House Intelligence Chairman Peter Hoekstra (R-MI) promised yesterday to crackdown on intelligence leaks to the media, suggesting “some unauthorized leaks could have been deliberate attempts to help al Qaeda.” To back up his claim, Hoekstra said: “I don’t have any evidence.” Of course you don’t, that explains why you made that stupid statement to begin with.

Heckle: to Defcon indicators next to the menu board. The federal antiterrorism database includes potential “targets” like Old MacDonald’s Petting Zoo, the Amish Country Popcorn factory, and an unspecified “Beach at End of a Street,” a new inspector general report shows. Indiana is listed as the most target-rich state in the U.S., with “50 percent more listed sites than New York.” This is what happens when you manage by ‘committee’. In this case the committee’s were actually committees in all 50 states that were told to come up with targets of importance in their state. The database has essentially been rendered meaningless. Nice job guys and gals.

Heckle: to being more stupid than you appear. “Less than two months after voting overwhelmingly to build 370 miles of new fencing along the border with Mexico, the Senate yesterday voted against providing funds to build it.” What’s next, sending our troops off to war without having a means to pay for it…. cutting services for the elderly..…refusing to raise the minimum wage…..

Be good, stay informed….later.