Alby's Latest Posts
The Media Loves School Shootings
Here’s a dirty little secret: The media loves school shootings. It’s part of a bigger dirty secret: The media loves mayhem and tragedy of all sorts, because those things bring eyeballs to the page or screen. Why do we have Trump as president? Because the media wanted him. If they didn’t want him, they wouldn’t […]
Open Thread Feb. 14: Wife-Beaters, Bribes and Bobbleheads
I must admit I’m surprised that the story this White House can’t shrug off is one that, in the scheme of things, doesn’t really affect the running of the country. Puerto Rico remains a disaster area, ICE is making the Gestapo look like a crew of polite gendarmes, yet the Teflon holds and the memory […]
Chris Coons Again Played For a Fool
“I’ve been here seven years and never seen anything like it,” Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) marveled to Talking Points Memo Monday night. “Who knows? Democracy may very well break out in here.” Coons was talking about the immigration debate Mitch McConnell’s underworld family Republican Caucus promised as payment for passing the GOP’s kill-the-poors budget. Sucker! […]
Sure Republicans Are People — Cold, Heartless, Bastard People
This Thom Hartmann essay is getting a lot of traction on the liberal web, and rightly so. It lays out the entire 44-year history of how conservatives fought back against the New Deal by deciding that they could play Santa Claus, too — not by offering government assistance to the poor and middle classes, but […]
Open Thread Feb. 13: They Don’t Know Art, But They Know What They Don’t Like [Updated w/ Secret Sperm]
Did you really think right-wing mouth breathers would allow the Obamas to unveil their official portraits without demonstrating why they belong to Slackjaw Nation? Silly rabbit. Actual art critics, as they usually will, had mixed reviews. [UPDATE] Sean Hannity weighed in on Obama’s portrait: It contains “secret sperm” hidden on his left temple. I swear […]
Sure Corporations Are People — Cold, Heartless, Bastard People
A waitress at an Outback Steakhouse in Florida spends a good part of her shift putting together a 75-meal takeout order for a megachurch. The guy who picks it up pays the $735 but leaves no tip. The waitress is steamed and posts about it on Facebook (without mentioning where she worked). It gets back […]
Open Thread Feb. 12: Vote in Haste, Collect Unemployment at Leisure
Today is Lincoln’s birthday, raising the question: If he had foreseen Trump, would Lincoln have thought saving the Union was so important? That would be like a guy who lovingly restored a ’67 Charger watching his grandson steer it into a telephone pole. Because Democrats didn’t talk about jobs, Trump got away with pretending he […]
Trump Is a Secret Muslim
Trump keeps talking about the “four pillars of immigration reform.” You know who else talks about pillars a lot? Muslims. Yeah, I’m talking about followers of Mohammed (PBUH). Ever hear of the Five Pillars of Islam? That’s by far the most common phrase in which the word “pillars” appears in the media. There’s no reason […]
Open Thread Feb. 11: The Glass is Half-Full, but With What?
Everyone who thinks protecting the downtrodden is Job 1 for the Democratic Party is super-bummed this week because it’s becoming clear that Democrats in Congress are not going to risk their jobs for a couple of million Dreamers. This, naturally, has led to more liberal grumbling about Nancy Pelosi, which in turn leads to articles […]
Open Thread Feb. 10: Democrats Fold Like an Origami Weasel
We now have a better understanding of why the Trump White House doesn’t spend more time punching hippies: They’re too busy punching women. These are the people Trump likes to surround himself with: Guys in his own image, “bullies, poseurs and bad boys.” I think it took a lot of restraint for the author to […]
Open Thread Feb. 9: No One Likes Us, We Don’t Care
Jason Kelce will never pay for another drink in Philadelphia. He stole the show at the Eagles victory parade yesterday, dressing up like a Mummer (somebody in the Avalon String Band had saved an old costume big enough to fit him), engaging with fans along the route and giving a barn-burning, expletive-riddled speech calling out […]
Mo’ Joe: Kompromat Only Explanation for Trump’s Bromance With Putin
Looks like Joe Biden’s tactic for helping Democrats in the midterms is going to be “I’ll attack Trump so you don’t have to.” Biden sat down this morning for an interview with MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell, who asked the former vice president why Trump was “so reluctant to take on Vladimir Putin.” “Look, you know, I […]
Open Thread Feb. 8: Who Loves Paying for a Parade?
Donald Trump’s childish wish for a military parade has drawn voluminous criticism from almost all corners. The objections range from the obvious (it’s a waste of money, an estimated $20 million) to the even more obvious (it’s a sign of deep insecurity). But nobody has said jack about the waste of money taking place in […]
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