Pass The Aspirin

The latest:

Bachmann Says Migraines Won’t Be a Problem if She’s Elected President

She won't get headaches, she'll give them.

OLD NEWS: This is poignant, coming as it does from the MSM:

As Mrs. Bachmann has gained traction on the campaign trail, she is increasingly finding herself under scrutiny.

As any righty would be.

Comments

[Manuel Transmission]

First!

From a previous thread, JMH said:

Obama must be the all time champ of contradicting himself in the same breath.

I think that is a fundamental definition of a sociopath. (No sense of the future, so therefore, no conscience.)

[They've been to Hell and back.]

Eh, a migrainuese. They are very in touch with themselves. This is a feature not a bug.
===========

[MarkO]

This helps me understand her husband.

[Captain Hate]

Soooo the MFM is interested in Bachmann's migraines? How 'bout Bammy's admitted controlled substance usage and cigarette addiction when both parents had health and addiction issues that led to their early demise? Or that humongous jagged scar on his noggin?

[Clarice]

I had migraines for years. Interestingly though I worried they might interfere with trials or arguments, mine never did..When I had them the medication Phenobarbital (a barbiturate) knocked me out for an hour or so and then I was fine. Not all migraines are the same and not all respond so easily to treatment, but I'd not take just the word of a former and apparently disgruntled staffer.

Now, about Obama's medical records or Clinton's for that matter.

[anduril]

She won't get headaches, she'll give them.

Too true. OTOH, anyone who thinks this migraine story is the worst that liberal opposition research can do with Bachmann is smoking something that isn't legal. At the link below is an audio of Bachmann praying. There will also be a lot about her close, longtime associates, like Bradlee Dean. Naturally the ThinkProgress folk focus on the homosexual angle, but try googling "Bradlee Dean Catholic" and you'll get a sample of the material that the Dems will have ready later.

For our daily inspiration:

‘We Are In The Last Days’

Partial transcript:

BACHMANN: Lord, the day is at hand. We are in the last days. You are a Jehovah God. We know that the times are in your hands. And we give them to you…The day is at hand, Lord, when your return will come nigh. Nothing is more important than bringing sheep into the fold. Than bringing new life into the kingdom…You have weeded that garden. The harvest is at hand.

You have to listen to the audio to get the full effect. I like the picture, too:

President Bachmann delivering her first State of the Union?

[anduril]

Repeat: Anyone who thinks the liberals are hitting Bachmann with their best shot now is delusional.

[glasater]

I disagree with Bachmann on one point--the garden has definitely not been weeded.

[RichatUF]

Cute, a satanic orator at a fascist rally. Next time I hope they photoshop in some flames and horns.

[anduril]

Some here appear to think I'm too focused on the Catholic/Bachmann angle--as if her troubling attitudes toward 70 million fellow Americans is somehow irrelevant. So, to give some idea of where I'm coming from, I found this passage in an article at NRO re the new Archbishop of Philadelphia, Rise of the Evangelical Catholic Bishops: Gospel without compromise, joyfully lived, replaces Catholic Lite, encouraging:

Archbishop Chaput put it best himself in an exclusive interview with Catholic News Agency: “The biggest challenge, not just in Philadelphia but everywhere, is to preach the Gospel. . . . We need to have confidence in the Gospel, we have to live it faithfully, and to live it without compromise and with great joy.”

That formulation — the Gospel without compromise, joyfully lived — captures the essence of the Evangelical Catholicism that is slowly but steadily replacing Counter-Reformation Catholicism in the United States. The usual suspects are living in an old Catholic paradigm: They’re stuck in the Counter-Reformation Church of institutional maintenance; they simply want an institution they can run with looser rules, closely aligned with the Democratic party on the political left — which is precisely why they’re of interest to their media megaphones. Archbishop Chaput, Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, and other rising leaders of the Catholic Church in the United States are operating out of a very different paradigm — and in doing so, they’re the true heirs of both the Second Vatican Council and Pope John Paul II.

Note: I said "encouraging." I'm always from Missouri.

[anduril]

Yes, I'm a weed in Michele's garden. Well, she thinks it's the Lord's--"a Jehovah God's"--garden. But I have lots of company, and Dem ads will be doing their utmost to persuade other Americans that Michele views them as weeds. To bad they'll have plenty of ammunition.

[Porchlight]

They are toying with migraines and religious stuff right now, but their big guns will be the light-in-the-loafers husband and his de-gaying clinic for which he accepted state funds. Count on it.

If Perry and/or Palin are in by Iowa, Bachmann will slip out of the MSM's sights as they go for bigger targets.

[MarkO]

Clarice, I, too, had migraines from time to time in my 30's (just last year). I discovered that by taking Tylenol with codeine I could catch it before it knocked me down. They were stress and fatigue related and have stopped, thank heaven. I did not realize that one could still find Phenobarbital. It was a favorite of my mother’s for anything that ailed one. And, it was easy to get, in those days.

[Porchlight]

Or that humongous jagged scar on his noggin?

I was curious about that a few months ago, but you know what, I think it's nothing. I have a college friend who is Af-Am (actually half black/half white like Obama) and he keeps his hair cropped very short. I saw him earlier in the summer, and he has the same thing. It's a hair-growth pattern of some sort.

[Extraneus]

After three years of all-out assault, they haven't come up with anything close to this on Sarah Palin. I hope the people who worry that Palin's too damaged think about the fact that their preferred candidate hasn't yet undergone the full media assault.

[anduril]

I suppose a lot of you think that the MSM will want to know what will happen if Prez Bachmann gets a call at 3AM--those calls do come at 3AM, right?--and la Prez is incapacitated by a migraine and her current cocktail of meds doesn't seem to be working. I suppose they will. But they'll also want to know whether she might wake up at 3AM thinking she's hearing the voice of "a Jehovah God" telling her "the day is at hand. We are in the last days," and offering some very specific advice on what she should be doing.

[Captain Hate]

The donks also hate Bachmann because she's attractive and those shallow idiots make book on image. They try to compensate for the fact that their elected androgynous harridans look like they emerged from a mid-70's Eastern European Olympic factory producing athletes of problematic sexuality and retro grooming styles.

[Porchlight]

It's true, Ext. I am baffled when I hear people say that Bachmann is like Palin without the baggage.

This doesn't even include the main reason why I can't support Bachmann, which is that she's a Rep who's not won statewide election and has no executive experience whatsoever. This alone puts her out of the running (for me) in the primary.

[Rick Ballard]

"(just last year)"

Would those be the second thirties?

[Extraneus]

So where should we assume this hit came from? Pawlenty?

[Cecil Turner]

Personally, I'm as unconcerned with her migraines as I am with a purported negative attitude toward catholics. It's her light resume that concerns me. I'd really hope we could find someone with a bit more executive experience in their background.

But if the alternative is someone who's going to wake up at 3:00 in the morning with a harebrained scheme to waste another trillion dollars in "investment" . . . she's lookin' pretty good.

[Captain Hate]

and has no executive experience whatsoever.

This can't be stressed enough and should be a deal killer for a lot of candidates (and a major, but not the sole, reason why McCain would currently be such a terrible president). Governors make good Presidents as long as they aren't sexual predators or people that spend money like drunk sailors.

Btw, that "humongous scar" comment was only playing off on what others have stated here; I've assumed it's just a mark of how his skull was when he was growing that might show up markedly on blacks with short hair in certain lighting.

[Appalled]

There is plenty to object to with Bachmann, before we even get to migraines. As a threshhold matter, how does doubling down on the culture war help the GOP?

[Porchlight]

I figured as much, Cap'n. You're sure right about the drug use. Funny how that's such a no biggie now. Even Dem candidates used to get scrutinized about their propensity to inhale. It's the perfect example of "the thin edge of the wedge."

[Jane]

They are toying with migraines and religious stuff right now, but their big guns will be the light-in-the-loafers husband and his de-gaying clinic for which he accepted state funds. Count on it.

The other day someone mentioned this to me, knowing I was about as pro-gay as it gets and expected me to take issue with it.

Why? If someone wants to pray to not be gay, why should anyone care? If someone believes it works, then so be it.

[MayBee]

Personally, I'm as unconcerned with her migraines as I am with a purported negative attitude toward catholics. It's her light resume that concerns me. I'd really hope we could find someone with a bit more executive experience in their background.

But if the alternative is someone who's going to wake up at 3:00 in the morning with a harebrained scheme to waste another trillion dollars in "investment" . . . she's lookin' pretty good.

Genius.

[franke]

The Executive experience angle is non-sense. Half of the most recent President's "executive experience" was limited to VP - which cast the tie breaking votes in the Senate from time to time (a legilative duty) and misspeaks at parties.

She has the correct core principles and a 1,000 former and current Republican staffers, officials, cabinet heads, chiefs of staff, etc. will volunteer to implement those principles. Anyone who has seen her knows that she can articulate and lead, of which the current empty suit can only do half.

[Porchlight]

As a threshhold matter, how does doubling down on the culture war help the GOP?

I am somewhat tired of this argument, but the simplest version is: the best fiscal conservatives in the GOP field are also social conservatives. So, you want a fi-con, you get a so-con too.

People either need to deal with that or find the mythical fiscal hardliner who is socially moderate and get him/her to run.

Incidentally, Palin is personally socially conservative, but governed more as a libertarian/constitutionalist. The prime example of this is when she vetoed a bill that would have banned benefits to same-sex partners of state workers. Her reasoning was that the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that the bill was unconstitutional and that was enough for her.

[Clarice]

Yes, it is, MayBee.

[Jack is Back!]

TM, you can't quote Louis Mayer without attribution.

It was he who coined the phrase, "I don't get headaches, I give them".

But more importantly, Bachman at least had the guts to vote no on cut, cap and balance because it did not repeal Obamacare. Plus I don't think that piece was calling the Won's bluff. Calling his bluff is voting down in the house all of the silly Senate plans (i.e. McConnell and the Gang of 6).

I actually want to see what happens on August 2 or whatever if the debt ceiling is not raised. I think its another Y2K scare.

[Porchlight]

franke,

You can have the most fabulous principles in the world, but governing according to them is extraordinarily difficult. I need actual evidence that someone can do the job and do it well before I take a risk on them, especially now when there is zero room for error.

There is a good reason Reps are never elected directly to the WH (with the exception of Garfield, who was a general).

[Captain Hate]

The Executive experience angle is non-sense.

No it isn't; being a governor means having people reporting to you continually and having to delegate responsibility in areas and then making a decision of whether to implement what they recommend or do something different based upon what knowledge or insight you might possess. And taking the heat for the results. Do you think it's an accident that the current dimwit in chief can't make a freaking decision on anything? He's used to voting present and being all "collegial 'n shit" in the Senate.

I agree with you that Michele seems to have good core principles and maybe she can delegate effectively; and she'd probably do better than the current fuzznuts. But I'd rather trust a Palin to do that because I know she can.

[Ignatz]

--As a threshhold matter, how does doubling down on the culture war help the GOP?--

Because most voters are pro gun, anti abortion, anti gay marriage and and describe themselves as Christians?

[Ignatz]

--For our daily inspiration:

‘We Are In The Last Days’--

Once again, you link to JOM.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Oh, Ig.

You had to go "there".

[anduril]

if the alternative is someone who's going to wake up at 3:00 in the morning with a harebrained scheme to waste another trillion dollars in "investment" . . . she's lookin' pretty good.

This approach is all too common. It amounts to simply saying, well, OK, our candidate may be goof, but so is yours. At a basic level, it fails to address the "the devil you know versus the one you don't know" argument, but it also sets far too low a bar for GOPer candidates. We end up like in 2008: Barry was a goof, but so was McCain. Surely a conservative party can do better than that? Conservatives should be demanding highly qualified candidates without such baggage as the bare minimum qualifications.

The other aspect of executive experience is simply this: an executive pretty much has to have an appetite for working with other people, whereas a legislator--especially one without a lot of experience--can get by with an appetite for speaking to a microphone or in front of video cameras. Not all legislators are that way, but a proven track record of executive experience is usually a good indication of a willingness to do the hands on work to get things done.

[anduril]

Poop. I don't understand why I'm doing this so often lately: ‘We Are In The Last Days’

[Appalled]

I am somewhat tired of this argument, but the simplest version is: the best fiscal conservatives in the GOP field are also social conservatives. So, you want a fi-con, you get a so-con too.

People either need to deal with that or find the mythical fiscal hardliner who is socially moderate and get him/her to run.

Incidentally, Palin is personally socially conservative, but governed more as a libertarian/constitutionalist.

My concern is not whether a candidate is religiously conservative. It's whether he or she is willing to use the Federal government to force that viewpoint on others. Palin does not bother me on those grounds -- she really is about as libertarian as someone in the GOP is allowed to get if their last name isn't Paul.

[anduril]

This article, What Chris Christie told the tycoons, offers a paraphrase of Christie's detailed reasoning on why he's not running. Too bad, because it just makes me like him more.

[bgates]

doubling down on the culture war

I'm in favor of the culture that says America and its armed forces are tremendous forces for good in the world, immigrants should be as grateful to be here as the natives are, there's nothing wrong with firing an unproductive worker even if he shares some racial affiliation with the President of the United States, "tolerance" is a synonym for neither "celebration" nor "subsidy", Shakespeare was better than Toni Morrison, Frank Capra was better than Michael Moore, and America is better than anywhere else, not because of anything in our blood but because of a virtuous cycle between a system of government that allowed more liberty than anywhere else, the kind of people who were attracted to live under such a government, and the kind of society built by such people.

Every bit of that sentence is part of the culture war. And I'm not doubling down - I'm all in.

[Porchlight]

Great work, bgates. Saving it to my hard drive as I've done with so many of your comments.

[Cecil Turner]

This approach is all too common. It amounts to simply saying, well, OK, our candidate may be goof, but so is yours.

Hardly. It amounts to saying "I'd prefer a candidate who was less strident on cultural issues, but clearly fiscal conservatism is the primary concern." Or something like that.

My concern is not whether a candidate is religiously conservative. It's whether he or she is willing to use the Federal government to force that viewpoint on others.

If the executive were suddenly empowered to dissolve the Constitution or erase the first amendment, I might find this more of a concern. As it is, it's more of an excuse to show preferential treatment to atheists and truly nutty (e.g., TUCC) candidates over more mainstream types. As a practical matter, it's also far more likely some leftist will figure out a way to make the taxpayer pay for abortions than a righty will manage to outlaw them.

[Jack is Back!]

The trouble with liberals is they make too many naive assumptions and accept perception as reality. Its really like shooting fish in a barrel.

I had one email this to me yesterday during the News Corp hearings at Parliament:

So, in response I sent back the LUN

[sbw]

I like the experience governors have; I just don’t like many of the governors I’ve seen.

[anduril]

I'm in favor of the culture that says America and its armed forces are tremendous forces for good in the world

Perhaps you could explain that to the millions of displaced, exiled, ethnically/religiously cleansed Iraqis--without even getting into the dead and wounded.

From Refugees of Iraq:

More recent numbers estimate that those numbers have continued to grow. Costs of War, a report from Brown University's Watson Institute for International Studies, reported that "three and a half million Iraqis have fled their homes and have not returned" since 2003. That number includes 1.7 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 1.8 million Iraqi expatriates.[5] The UNHCR puts the number even higher, estimating 4.7 million displaced Iraqis since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. The UNHCR reports the same proportion of IDP refugees in Iraq as Costs of War--i.e., 2.4 million internally displaced Iraqis, of which 58% rent housing, 18% live with host families or relatives, 24% live in public buildings, but only 1% live in tented camps.[6] This has caused a strain on infrastructure and further deterioration in the humanitarian situation where 4 million are food insecure (25% of children are chronically malnourished) and only one in three children has access to safe drinking water.

And that's just the start. Big military is part of Big Government. So why are "conservatives" so gullible and uncritical re the use to which Big Government puts its big military?

[Jim Ryan]

Jack, about six years ago, some study or other found that WSJ news (not editorial section) was well to the left of WAPO and NYT.

Does anyone recall such a study? Anyone get a lefty feel from reading WSJ news articles?

I'm not sure this is a genuine factoid, but if it is, it is a nice one to toss back at a liberal with MDS (Murdoch Derangement Syndrome) at a cocktail party.

[anduril]

Re the US use of its military, Steve Walt does an interesting survey of our major conflicts, from the perspective (advocated by Jonathan Rauch) that the United States start wars badly but end them well.

Here's his conclusion:

By my count, only four of these thirteen wars fit the pattern of "starting badly and ending well." More interestingly, both of our major recent wars (Iraq and Afghanistan) started well but are destined to end badly, largely because both wars involved prolonged occupations of societies riven by internal divisions and where there is a deeply-rooted antipathy to foreign interference, and because the Bush administration was wildly over-confident about the efficacy of military force.

Bottom line: be wary of drawing big lessons from the war of 1812.

I imagine the reason so many "conservatives" favor military "solutions" these days is that it seems so easy, when you have the best military in the world. Unfortunately, nothing is that easy.

[Porchlight]

I remember that study, JiB. I think it was Pew.

[Porchlight]

Oops, Jim Ryan, not JiB....

[Captain Hate]

Anyone get a lefty feel from reading WSJ news articles?

Yes, I've subscribed to the WSJ since at least 1980 and their articles away from the editorial page are straight outta journalism schools.

[MayBee]

Why? If someone wants to pray to not be gay, why should anyone care? If someone believes it works, then so be it.

Jane- I agree! It makes me wonder what kind of self-help is supposed to be off-limits.
If someone doesn't want to be gay, why should they not have the freedom to try to not be? What if they are already in a loving, heterosexual relationship but are having feelings for someone else of the same sex? It happens! ISTM they deserve to seek the therapy they feel they need.

[anduril]

about six years ago, some study or other found that WSJ news (not editorial section) was well to the left of WAPO and NYT.

Does anyone recall such a study? Anyone get a lefty feel from reading WSJ news articles?

I'm not sure this is a genuine factoid, but if it is, it is a nice one to toss back at a liberal with MDS (Murdoch Derangement Syndrome) at a cocktail party.

Here's a real, honest to goodness factoid: Murdoch began his purchase of the WSJ in 2007--less than 6 years ago. Now, a relevant study might examine whether there had been any change in WSJ news reporting and its political tilt AFTER it was acquired by Murdoch. Joe Nocera made that claim in the NYT yesterday.

[Porchlight]

I agree, Jane and MayBee. I just think the MSM is going to go ape over theee hypocriseeee of Bachmann's husband (rumored to be gay, kinda not hard to believe if you see pics of him) trying to talk others out of being gay.

[Ignatz]

--It's whether he or she is willing to use the Federal government to force that viewpoint on others.--

That shouldn't be too big a concern since most of the agenda of social conservatives is getting the Federal government out of places it has already improperly usurped state and citizen rights.

[anduril]

Steve Walt re Murdoch:

Gallons of ink (or gigabytes of blog posts) have already been devoted to this story, but one broader element has received less attention amidst all the juicy personal stuff. What the scandal really teaches us is the dangers that inevitably arise when any single company or individual exercises excessive influence in media circles. Why? Because a healthy democracy depends on a well-informed citizenry, and media oligarchs can use excessive influence to skew what the public knows or believes in order to advance their own political objectives. If the Murdoch scandal doesn't convince you, just look at how Silvio Berlusconi used his media empire to drive his political career and look where Italy is today.

[Jack is Back!]

WSJ under the Bancrofts was very liberal on then newspages but conservative on the editorial side. In other words, balance unlike the NYT and WAPO.

I don't know how that balance is today with Murdoch's News Corp its parent.

The point is that most corporations play both sides agains the middle with their PAC contributions and individiual giving. When I ran our PAC we were traditionally right of center givers. But we decided to change that based on the Win-Win-Win formula since we were not getting access for our POV or even consideration of access.

The first Win is giving to reps in the major districts where your employees work and live. The second Win is giving to Senators and Reps on committees with oversight or legislation regarding your business interests. The 3rd Win is to find a Rep or Senator that meets the qualities in 1 and 2 that are also Chair or ranking member. This means you end up with a balance between both parties with an emphasis on the party controlling the committees.

All PAC's from business work pretty much that way unlike the Unions, Federal emploees, and others.

[Jim Ryan]

Okay, Pew, thanks, Porch. With this and the captain chiming in, I'll consider this factoid robustly confirmed!

[bgates]

It's whether he or she is willing to use the Federal government to force that viewpoint on others.

The only people I see using the federal government to force their religious views on others are Democrats - sacrificing my light bulbs to Gaia, for instance, or raising taxes because "Jesus Christ spoke to me in terms of the kind of life that I would want to lead — being my brothers’ and sisters’ keeper", notwithstanding that Christ never said that, when a similar phrase does occur in the Bible it's spoken by the world's first murderer to evade questioning, and the speaker here is a multimillionaire who has a literal brother who lives in a shack in a slum in Africa.

It seems to me you're less concerned with using the government to impose religious views than you are with the specter of politicians who are able to quote Scripture accurately rather than hypocritically.

[Jane]

(rumored to be gay, kinda not hard to believe if you see pics of him) trying to talk others out of being gay.

It has to be pretty damn painful to be gay, and think it is so wrong that you have to deny it - which is the way things were until about 20 years ago.

My personal feeling about the priest pedophile scandal is that a bunch of boys decided in their early teens that they were gay and it was wrong and the way to make sure they didn't do the wrong things was to enter the priesthood.

And then sometime later they lost their will and their sexuality reverted back to the age they were when they first turned it off. Thus the target of alter boys.

And boy if that's true it is about as sad as it gets.

[Cecil Turner]

Does anyone recall such a study? Anyone get a lefty feel from reading WSJ news articles?

Yes, it's UCLA's Groseclose study. And I was somewhat surprised by the degree, but not by the leanings of the WSJ (though I think it's shifted in the last few years to more neutral). And I find the lefty hyperventilation over the only conservative news channel to be more than a bit convenient (and hypocritical, but what's new?).

[bgates]

You know, there are two Americas.

I live in the one for people who don't have to pay a $2M fine to the FEC for using campaign funds to bribe a staffer to claim paternity of a candidate's bastard child.

[Old Lurker]

If the culture war is about not killing babies or old people, or about not stealing from Peter to pay Paul, or about not stealing from our children to benefit ourselves, or about respecting private property and individual liberties (same thing), or about the (re)assumption of personal responsibilty by individuals...then let's have it. If it so happens that much of that derives from a Judeo Christian ethic...then let's have it.

[Captain Hate]

Jane I think it's a bit more complex than that and also has a component of Catholic families not regarding the priesthood in the same way as they had previously regarding it being a favored vocation for their children to pursue. That doesn't mean that I'm refuting what you said as far as it having validity. In the whole sordid mess the only humorous thing was how the MFM contorted its coverage to avoid mentioning it being a homosexual issue.

[anduril]

My personal feeling about the priest pedophile scandal is that a bunch of boys decided in their early teens that they were gay and it was wrong and the way to make sure they didn't do the wrong things was to enter the priesthood.

And then sometime later they lost their will and their sexuality reverted back to the age they were when they first turned it off. Thus the target of alter altar boys.

If you have a ouija board you might want to try getting in touch with my father. He was a clinical psychologist who did his academic work on candidates for the priesthood. His conclusions--reached in the 1950s before there was any scandal--have proven to be correct, and with a high degree of specificity. However, the authorities were highly resistive to the use of psychology to screen candidates. The idea of exploring the human motivations of such candidates was unappealing to them.

Re altar boys--and I was one--they were simply a target of opportunity for predators. Back in the days, access to young boys was more limited than it is nowadays. Now, priests are better compensated and legal--or semi-legal--opportunities for that type of access are much more varied. Think Rush Limbaugh going with the guys to the Dominican Republic and coming back with extra Viagra. I unfortunately can no longer lay my hands on a lengthy article by a priest who goes into the current situation in great detail.

All that said, the situation varies greatly, mostly depending on the willingness of local bishops to enforce standards. And I should add, these problems are in no way unique to the Catholic Church.

Oh, and "pedophile" is the wrong word. All studies agree that the target with the greatest attraction--overwhelmingly--is young adolescent, not normally prepubescent, boys. It's overwhelmingly a problem of homosexuality.

[Ignatz]

--My personal feeling about the priest pedophile scandal is that a bunch of boys decided in their early teens that they were gay and it was wrong and the way to make sure they didn't do the wrong things was to enter the priesthood.--

A simpler version might be that homosexuals with a predilection for boys find the priesthood a convenient place to ply their trade for the same reason heterosexual men with a predilection for little girls hang around playgrounds.

[Jane]

You know I once knew a transvestite who was a big time lawyer in his day job. He had memories of getting into his mothers clothes as young as age 3. He lamented being born with those tendencies. I suggested to him he should thank his lucky stars he wasn't born a pedophile.

(I actually think pedophiles are made not born, but even so, there is a hierarchy of irresistible urges.)

[Jane]

Ignatz,

I just can't ascribe that many priests with those bad motives. It makes no sense to me. Why deny themselves for so many years.

[Porchlight]

UCLA, not Pew - mea culpa. Thanks Cecil and sorry Jim Ryan!

[Porchlight]

"Jesus Christ spoke to me in terms of the kind of life that I would want to lead — being my brothers’ and sisters’ keeper"

So many things wrong with that, it's hard to know where to begin. I don't think we've ever had a President who has bungled Scripture this badly.

[BB Key]

New Hero, Rep. Mo Brooks R-AL being interviewed by Contessa Brewer NitWit-MSNBC:

Brewer : Well , do you have a degree in economics ?'

Rep. Brooks: Yes mam, with high honors.

I went to Brooks' website. He graduated from Duke in 3 years with a double major in Poli-Sci and Econ.

[Porchlight]

Ah, Contessa. You probably didn't expect that from an Alabama Republican, now did you?

[Captain Hate]

I don't think we've ever had a President who has bungled Scripture this badly.

Or has failed to live his life accordingly.

[bgates]

I don't think we've ever had a President who has bungled Scripture this badly.

Yes, but I hear his recitation of the Islamic call to prayer is flawless.

Though come to think of it, I heard that from people who say that everything about him is flawless, whereas I doubt he could win a game of checkers against a cocker spaniel.

[BB Key]

More on Mo Brooks R-AL. His mom taught economics for 20 yers and his dad was a ROcket Scientist.....

[Jack is Back!]

The lack of research by the MFM is breathtaking. Contessa is still picking her jaw off the floor.

As I said above, Liberals accept perception as reality. A guy named Mo from Alabama can't be too smart, or at least not as smart as the most famous graduate of Sacopee High School in Hiram, Maine who then went to the esteemed institute of higher learning, Syracuse University. Nope, not possible.

[jimmyk]

I was curious about that [the head-scar] a few months ago, but you know what, I think it's nothing.

I think it's no more or less meaningful than Sarah's daughter's ex-fiance's mother's drug problems.

[daddy]

Great comment bgates at 01:30.

[Ignatz]

--Why deny themselves for so many years.--

Seems to me the problem was they didn't deny themselves of much of anything.

[jimmyk]

I'm in favor of the culture that says America and its armed forces are tremendous forces for good in the world, immigrants should be as grateful to be here as the natives are, there's nothing wrong with firing an unproductive worker even if he shares some racial affiliation with the President of the United States, "tolerance" is a synonym for neither "celebration" nor "subsidy", Shakespeare was better than Toni Morrison, Frank Capra was better than Michael Moore, and America is better than anywhere else, not because of anything in our blood but because of a virtuous cycle between a system of government that allowed more liberty than anywhere else, the kind of people who were attracted to live under such a government, and the kind of society built by such people.

bgates, do you have any executive experience? If so, I want you for president. (I just wanted an excuse to repeat the above.)

[matt]

Why, Allan West sure got everyone's attention today.

[anduril]

My father, early in his career, had quite a bit of experience counselling "homosexuals." The reason I put that in quotes is because he told me that he found that very many of these unfortunate individuals were not truly homosexual. Rather, many were sensitive, insecure, self-critical young men who--for various reasons--suffered from feelings of inadequacy and self doubt upon entry to the status of manhood. In effect, they rationalized, if I feel so inadequate as a male I must be something really inadequate--a homosexual!

It's often said that women are born (i.e., they are more secure in their sexual identity) and that men are made: that is, men need more affirmation of their ability to fulfill the role of a man. My father found that many of these young men only needed some self understanding, self acceptance and affirmation to lead a normal male life. Of course, nowadays, such young men are told my many: oh, you must be "gay." Once introduced to the "gay" lifestyle, their feelings of self loathing are confirmed and they have great difficulty in extricating themselves.

My father's point to the ecclesiastical authorities was that the priesthood, or seminary, was exactly the wrong place to work out such conflicts, since it represented a retreat from working out their problems, an escape. Especially because, even back in the 50s, there were homosexual networks in some of those places.

OTOH, same sex schooling can be helpful in assuring insecure adolescent boys of their proper male role, whereas coed schooling could expose them to feelings of inadequacy based on difficult in competing in the presence of girls with more self confident boys.

[Clarice]

bgates--your name in lights.http://pajamasmedia.com/lifestyle/2011/07/20/bgates-on-the-culture-war/

[Jack is Back!]

Don't forget the first Twitterized Debate. LUN

[daddy]

My Next Job?

Recreational Gold Miner finds $30,000.00 nugget.

[Porchlight]

I think it's no more or less meaningful than Sarah's daughter's ex-fiance's mother's drug problems.

Agree totally, jimmyk.

[anduril]

Capretta at NRO makes good sense, IMO:

[lots of criticism re Gang of Six]

Republicans must realize that being tactically nimble in this fight will be the difference between success and failure. The conservatives in the House who say they will never, ever vote to increase the debt limit need to realize they are handing all of the leverage to President Obama. To begin with, the budget they support — the Ryan budget that the House Republicans voted for nearly unanimously in April —requires a large debt-limit increase. Indeed, there’s no conceivable budget plan out there that doesn’t require one. Moreover, there is a strong chance that going past August 2 without an increase could completely backfire on the GOP. It’s hard to predict what will happen, but it could be quite chaotic and cause real damage to real investors and businesses. It will almost certainly trigger a very negative public reaction, which will then force Congress to raise the debt limit quickly, one way or another. It’s hard to see how such a confrontation will help Republicans get a better deal.

What conservatives should be doing is seizing the initiative in the House. They should move immediately to pass a small debt-limit increase, on the order of $500 billion, coupled with a reasonable set of spending cuts, including caps on discretionary spending. They should then send that to the Senate as the starting point for discussions. Doing this now would increase Speaker Boehner’s leverage immensely, as he would become the only person in the room who had shown by his actions that he doesn’t want a default. Moreover, at this late stage, there’s a very real chance it would become the vehicle for getting past August 2.

If Republicans can’t find their way to make such a move (for whatever reason), then they have little choice but to work with Senator McConnell on his version of Plan B. But they should make it absolutely clear that no version of the Gang of Six plan will be acceptable.

[BB Key]

Glenn now has a link to the Contessa question plus some great comments.....

[Jim Ryan]

Thanks, Cecil.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

I've only had one migraine, but that one was enough. It put me down for 31 days. Light was the enemy, most of all, but keeping food down was another problem. I know it was the sickest I've ever been from a non-accident injury. Even if I could have stayed upright, my ability to concentrate was nil. Mine was diagnosed as a stress-related migraine. The drugs I was given would give me relief, mainly by knocking me out for hours at a time.

I'm not a Bachmann fan, so maybe I'm giving more weight to the story than it deserves, but it does concern me, a lot.

[Appalled]

bgates:

It seems to me you're less concerned with using the government to impose religious views than you are with the specter of politicians who are able to quote Scripture accurately rather than hypocritically.

Let's see. What can I do with this statement? Not much, really. It isn't true. Not that that seems to be a concern of yours...

It's self-serving mindreading, to justify an eloquent, but somewhat beside the point broadside.

It's a strawman -- you have an Obama-like love of those, bgates.

But mostly, it's just, well...bullshit. I realize its a bother to address the comment made, rather than the comment you wish I had made, but I really dislike evidence-free misrepresentations of what I have said.

[Jack is Back!]

BB Key,

Just watched that clip. And they are all a twitter about Murdoch and his empire when the most stupid, insipid journalism in America (perhaps the World) is being practiced by a branch of Comcast in front of dozens of people everyday:)

[narciso]

It is the 'UpperClass Twit of the Year' competition,brought to life, Contessa, Mika
'Lincoln is my favorite Founder' Brezennski, "Tingles' Matthews, and Martin Bashir, for
Continental flavor.

[BB Key]

JiB, I also noticed you and Glenn were in sync with your views on Contessa

[Jack is Back!]

narciso,

Read the Allen West email to DWS? Snark:)

Javier is trying to play good cop bad cop with her but we all know Blinky is wild about Barry and scared to death of the LtCol.

[caro]

Mr. Bachmann is damned either way. If he had a mental health clinic that would not accept patients on welfare or some other government subsidy, ala Medicare, he would be in worse trouble.

[boris]

"I really dislike evidence-free misrepresentations of what I have said"

Me too. But seems like a fair point in context.

whether he or she is willing to use the Federal government to force that viewpoint on others.

A valid interpretation is that Christian imposition is unwelcome. Unspoken is whether EnviroReligion is equally unwelcome. On other matters you seem to express tolerance for conventional secular views and politely critique conventionsl conservative views.

[Appalled]

EnviroReligion is equally unwelcome. And I want the right to continue to buy normal lightbulbs. The twirly things stink for reading, and are hardly an unsafe product.

[anduril]

are hardly a safe product?

[Appalled]

anduril:

I prefer CO2 in the air to Mercury at the landfill.

[bgates]

What can I do with this statement? Not much, really.

You certainly don't seem to be able to refute it. There are politicians on both sides of the aisle who cite religion in one form or another to justify their positions; the side that more commonly uses the Bible as a cudgel to enforce their will is the Biblically illiterate side that you tend to favor. You haven't pointed to a single instance of a religious conservative politician who is "willing to use the Federal government to force that viewpoint on others". I have pointed to a couple of prominent instances of progressives using religion to do exactly that, which makes my statement an evidence-containing representation of what you wrote.

how does doubling down on the culture war help the GOP

If you don't mind a little tip? This sort of statement, where you make blithe assertions using the kind of buzzwords Newsweek used to use in their "CW" column unsupported by even a hint of evidence? Stick with those. That's your strong suit. The worst that can happen out of that kind of mindless anti-Republican blather is I'll give a shape to your amorphous phrases that you don't like, and then you can stamp your feet about it. What gets you into trouble is when you start trying to inject what you apparently consider to be facts into your typing. Like this:

I've lived a long time with a GOP that thinks that shutdowns and defaults are playthings that show their advanced masculinity.

Let's see. What can I do with this statement? Not much, really. It isn't true. Not that that seems to be a concern of yours...

It's self-serving mindreading.

It's a strawman -- you have an Obama-like love of those.

But mostly, it's just, well...bullshit.