I like funny. I love smart.

Stephen Colbert is both. And here, Nancy Pelosi does a fine job at surfing his coattails.

Coming Up on 10K (plus some HCR!)...

I've been contemplating some changes to the blog lately -- everything from the large (hosting) to the small (template tweaks), but I just haven't had the time to translate many of my thoughts into action. Life has been busy, and it's been coming at me in big chunks so far this year. If there's been any routine to my days, it's been achieved in the kitchen, where I've been doing a good bit of cooking, rather than online, where I'm constantly struggling to even stay caught up. I'm restless, and that makes sitting at the computer a challenge.

I've even thought a bit about whether I even want to continue on this little blogging adventure. But since the beginning, me and my monkeys have been evolving all along the way, and I don't think we're done yet -- we just might have to shift gears (again).

There is some stuff coming up, like Emmie's graduation and our annual hop across the pond to visit the healthcare-mongering elitists (this year, we'll pop in on the dreaded Bismarckians who started the entire socialist nightmare!), so please forgive some moments of quiet later in the spring. But in the meantime, I've got some stuff in the queue.

First up, and already implemented, I'm giving up the random link lists in favor of twitter bits. I've added a twitter feed to the right column, and I've already been tweeting random interesting links I've found recently. You can check them when you visit the site -- or if visiting a site is a bit too much on the luddite side of things for you (or you just can't stand the thought of missing a single link!), you can always just follow me on twitter or add my feed to your rss reader.

[I'm still feeling my way to figuring out what goes on twitter, what merits a blog post, and what is good facebook fodder (btw, crossposting across all social media is becoming a pet peeve of mine -- if you're doing it... uh, why?!?). You already know how to find me on the first two, and if you want to be facebook buddies, just shoot me a note...]

Coming up, I'm hoping to finally get the archives, categories and tags in order. I'm planning to do a lot more food blogging. And continue the photo blogging. I'm pretty well burned out on politics, but I imagine that even if it appears nowhere else, my progressive view of the world will show up in my tweets. Plus, even though I'm giving up the random links lists, I do have some themed link lists in the queue.

So much to anticipate...

And now, the exception to prove that I have little left to say about politics, here are a few choice bits I've read on the intertubes since health care passed in the House last night (yay!!!!):

• "Tonight I am thankful that the ability of everyone to have health care is no longer being asked to take a back seat to the few lucky ones who are satisfied with their blessings" (that one is from Emmie -- the rest are unattributed...).

• "It took Dems to create Social Security, a basic social safety net to ensure all may live out their lives in dignity; it was Dems who led the Civil Rights Movement and said all men are created equal; now, Dems have led the fight to ensure that every man, woman, and child has the right to basic health insurance in the richest country in the world. No, it is not a perfect solution; but, it IS leadership. Yes. We. Can."

• "The Party of Hope, not the Party of Nope."

• "I think Nancy Pelosi should use that gavel on herself."

• "I'm heading down to the hospital to watch the government start killing people's grandmas. Who's in?"

• "I reassert Jon Stewart's line to the Republicans: 'I think you are confusing tyranny with losing.'"

• ... and one more...

This morning I was awoken by my alarm clock powered by electricity generated by the public power monopoly regulated by the U.S. Department of Energy.

I then took a shower in the clean water provided by a municipal water utility.

After that, I turned on the TV to one of the FCC-regulated channels to see what the National Weather Service of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration determined the weather was going to be like, using satellites designed, built, and launched by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

I watched this while eating my breakfast of U.S. Department of Agriculture-inspected food and taking the drugs which have been determined as safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

At the appropriate time, as regulated by the U.S. Congress and kept accurate by the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the U.S. Naval Observatory, I get into my National Highway Traffic Safety Administration-approved automobile and set out to work on the roads build by the local, state, and federal Departments of Transportation, possibly stopping to purchase additional fuel of a quality level determined by the Environmental Protection Agency, using legal tender issued by the Federal Reserve Bank.

On the way out the door I deposit any mail I have to be sent out via the U.S. Postal Service and drop the kids off at the public school.

After spending another day not being maimed or killed at work thanks to the workplace regulations imposed by the Department of Labor and the Occupational Safety and Health administration, enjoying another two meals which again do not kill me because of the USDA, I drive my NHTSA car back home on the DOT roads, to my house which has not burned down in my absence because of the state and local building codes and Fire Marshal's inspection, and which has not been plundered of all its valuables thanks to the local police department.

And then I log on to the internet -- which was developed by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Administration -- and post on Freerepublic.com and Fox News forums about how SOCIALISM in medicine is BAD because the government can't do anything right.

...and on to reality: What's the bill mean? And what does it mean to me?

As always, please feel free to share your thoughts...

UPDATE: I'm not always a fan of KO's special comments, but the Republicans really deserve this one. Until they get their homophobes, racists and other spewers under control (or jettison them), they will continue to be the Party of Hate.

Once Again, the Democrats Don't Show Up

Jeeze. I can't believe this. The Democrats caved on SCHIP.

Oliver is right -- some of us put our blood, sweat and tears into taking back the Congress last year. And what have we gotten in return? A Congress that acts pretty much just like the Republican-controlled Congress did. Torture? Yes-sir-ee! Another blank check for Iraq? Oh, yes, oh, yes! Warrantless wiretapping and retroactive immunity for telcoms? If it weren't for Chris Dodd, we would have passed that one too.

Whatever Bush wants, Bush gets, even though the idiot is clearly a liar, has absolutely no credibility and has approval numbers lower than Nixon's worst.

So, why should those of us in the trenches bust our asses again next year? If they want to get reelected, can't they go hit up the Republicans for money and volunteers? After all, those are the people who have been benefiting from their "hard work."

I suppose that means at this point, this is the only guy I'm supporting in next year's Congressional elections:

Al Franken

Heh.   ;-)   Maybe the list will grow as we get closer to the elections. Let me know if you think someone's name should be added... but if it's not someone who has demonstrated the ability to lead, follow or get out of the way, I don't want to hear about him or her. And don't get me started on Nancy Freakin' Pelosi.

Pelosi At Christmas

And while we're talking about politicians who are out of touch with their party, did you hear that Joe "I never met a war I didn't like" Lieberman has endorsed John McCain in the presidential election?

Nancy "Capitulation" Pelosi

Seriously, what good is she?

The Democrats' capitulation Wednesday on the total domestic spending level is the latest instance of Bush prevailing on a major policy showdown. Bush and his Senate Republican allies have repeatedly beat back efforts by Democrats to place restrictions on funding for the war in Iraq as well as Democratic attempts to expand funding of children's health insurance by $35 billion.

Democratic leaders said Wednesday that they would keep total spending at the strict $933 billion limit set by the White House. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) also abandoned a proposal she supported Tuesday to eliminate lawmakers' earmarks from spending bills after she faced stiff opposition from powerful fellow Democrats.

Pelosi told the Democratic chairmen of the House Appropriations subcommittees, the so-called cardinals, that earmarks would stay in the omnibus and that Democratic leaders would accede to cut spending to levels demanded by Bush to save 11 spending bills from a veto, said sources familiar with a meeting that took place in Pelosi's office early Wednesday morning.

Joe Biden:

The President has no authority to unilaterally attack Iran and ... if he does, as foreign relations committee chairman and former chairman of judiciary, I will move to impeach him.

This, at a campaign stop in New Hampshire.

Nancy, are you listening?

Dodd Seizes the Spotlight

This guy (Thers) is absolutely right on both counts. He links to this editorial from the NYTimes, that calls a spade a spade:

It was bad enough having a one-party government when Republicans controlled the White House and both houses of Congress. But the Democrats took over, and still the one-party system continues.

First Thers nails it when it comes to the fact that our democratic leadership is impotent and unbelievably dense, and then gets more points for giving Chris Dodd credit for having some gonads:

I have no idea what it will take for the Democratic leadership to get it through their heads that it's not just the base but also the entire frickin' country that wants them to tell the Bushites to piss off with their waterboarding and their warrantless wiretaps and their dumbass horrible wars, and their lying, and oh yeah, all the damn dead people. How much more appalling could the Congressional poll numbers get? Is this some sort of science project — are they trying to compel statisticians to discover entirely new mathematical methodologies for calculating exactly how much contempt they're held in? America wants a change. OFFER ONE. Is Chris Dodd really the only one among you capable of perceiving the obvious?

As the Poor Man points out, Dodd is showing Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi what leadership actually looks like:

...Dodd has already taken a great risk - both personally and for his constituents in Connecticut - by putting this bill on ‘hold'. A filibuster would be a hundred times worse. Just threatening a filibuster is a total slap in the face to Harry Reid and the rest of the 11%-approval Get Along Gang in Congress, the telecom lobby, and President 24%. Clinton and Obama are probably still arguing about the correct diplomatic etiquette for public discussions of bombing our allies. This strange, shrill and unBroderian spectacle is what was once called "leadership".

Yeah, this may very well be a Hail Mary pass from a candidate who can't seem to be able to break away from the pack. But, since the pack is cowering in a corner, capitulating at every opportunity to a minority party and a lame duck president, this is a hell of great way to try and get the spotlight turned his way.

Bravo.

This is terrifying stuff!

How many other people out there are terrified that such a willfully ignorant man is supposedly in charge of our foreign policy? With no context in which to put current events, how can he make informed decisions that will help us to avoid the third world war scenario that he's now raising to scare Americans while he incompetently edges us ever so much closer to just that very outcome?

460 days left.

Oh, yeah -- and Nancy Pelosi sucks.

UPDATE: and the Democrats suck. ::sigh::

Ever the Incredible Incorrigible Ass, Bush Bought and Paid For by Insurance Industry

For some reason, Nancy Pelosi thinks this jackass should keep his job, no matter what crimes he commits. And even though it is not a crime to be hard-headed and cold-hearted, perhaps she would be moved to action if she consulted with legions of children who are being left uninsured by The Decider.

The president said he objects on philosophical grounds to a bipartisan Senate proposal to boost the State Children's Health Insurance Program by $35 billion over five years.

This is the same bozo who wants to expand his incompetent spending on the biggest foreign policy boner in the history of our country, which has already cost us more than $400 billion and is likely to eventually waste over a trillion taxpayer dollars.

551 days are left until our long national nightmare will finally be over.

Politics, Not as Usual

I haven't talked about politics much on this blog lately. I run across interesting news items, and I open up a new entry to start a post, and then half the time, I just don't finish. I post a photo instead.

It's summer vacation. I've been distracted by my recent travels, family events and our continued work on our house. I'm battling outrage fatigue. I've been trying to do some off-line writing, and I only have so words in me per day.

I could go on. There are many reasons for my reticence, but this weekend, I've realized where it first began: with the Democratic takeover of Congress.

I had high hopes when that happened. Those were heady days. Our country's first female speaker! The Congress would finally start to rein in the Bush administration and all of their unbelievable abuses of power. Oversight would return to the Capitol. Bush, Cheney and Rove would see that our elected leaders would no longer stand by and just passively watch them stomp on our Constitution.

But that hasn't happened and I am disheartened. I am very disappointed in Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, who promised great things when they took over their leadership positions. But where are these great things? I don't know why they have failed (though speculation has raised some very scary possibilities), but I can point to one huge mistake made by Nancy Pelosi: she asserted that impeachment is off the table.

There is no denying that there are grounds for impeaching members of our current administration. And Nancy's announcement to the world that no matter what crimes these men might commit, we will never prosecute them, basically gives them free rein to continue flouting the limits on power set by our Constitution. Pelosi has made it clear that this Congress has no intention of seriously enforcing the balances of power that were laid out by the founding fathers. All she can do is bark, because she has betrayed her lack of bite. She has rendered herself impotent as a leader.

This lack of leadership has sucked away a lot of the energy I used to have for talking about national politics. I'm afraid that until Nancy Pelosi puts impeachment back on the table (whether or not we actually impeach anyone), I've got no use for her, or any of her colleagues. They have chosen to neuter themselves, and yet they want me to root for them as they put on a show, pretending to conceive? Please. I do love to root for the underdog, but not when she throws the game before it's even begun. I'll hang on to my energy and my vote and my money for now, thank you. I'll put them back in the process when it no longer feels like I'm throwing them away.

If you do nothing else this weekend, please watch this video from Bill Moyers, as he talks with Bruce Fein and The Nation's John Nichols about impeachment. It's a interesting discussion, and I'll bet it will give you some food for continued thought.

War, sacrifice, patriotism, and short, stocky, slow-witted, bald men

Prince Harry is going to Iraq. What's the latest on the Bush twins? Still traveling, partying and shopping? Couldn't they at least volunteer at Walter Reed? Their father just expects sacrifice from other families.

--Joe at AmericaBlog (see Harry story here)

Vice President Cheney continues to question the patriotism of those of us in Congress who challenge the Bush Administration's misguided policies in Iraq, but his latest attack is beneath the office of the Vice President, especially at a time of war.

Mischaracterizations by the Vice President will not dissuade Congress from developing, on a bipartisan basis, a responsible new direction for U.S. policy in Iraq that brings our troops home safely and soon. I hope the President will repudiate and distance himself from the Vice President's remarks.

--Speaker Pelosi on her blog (see Cheney story here)

And, from that last link, comes this gem:

On a visit to Tokyo, Cheney hailed British Prime Minister Tony Blair's announcement of a timetable for withdrawing forces from Iraq, calling it a sign of progress.

He said efforts by Democrats in control of Congress to halt the US troop increase and withdraw forces was the wrong course of action and would hurt the broader fight against terrorism.

"I think in fact if we were to do what Speaker Pelosi and Congressman Murtha are suggesting, all we'll do is validate the al Qaeda strategy, the al Qaeda strategy is to break the will of the American people," Cheney told ABC News.

Now, why is it that when the Brits pull out of Iraq, Cheney claims it's a sign of progress, but when Murtha suggests that we should figure out how to get out of Iraq, Cheney says he's validating the al Qaeda strategy? How many ways does Cheney think he can have it?

Pulling out: if the Brits do it, it's great news! If the Democrats suggest doing it, they're terrorists.

Remember that episode of Seinfeld in which George starts doing the opposite of everything? I think Dick might be modeling his life on this character... he might truly be, Cheney, Lord of the Idiots. Either that, or his delusions are becoming ever more deranged. How else can you explain his incoherent attempts at spinning what is obviously very bad news for the war mongers?

(UPDATE: I gotta part ways with Jon on this one. Cheney is definitely the Costanza, not Bush.)

Yikes! and YIKES!

OK, the first one is a good yikes, but the second one is a scared yikes!:

yikes #1: Nancy Pelosi ROCKS. MY. WORLD.

Markos reports the following, then read on because I have more and it's good:

In an interview, Pelosi also said she was puzzled by what she considered the president's minimalist explanation for his confidence in the new surge of 21,500 U.S. troops that he has presented as the crux of a new "way forward" for U.S. forces in Iraq.

"He's tried this two times -- it's failed twice," the California Democrat said. "I asked him at the White House, 'Mr. President, why do you think this time it's going to work?' And he said, 'Because I told them it had to.' "

Asked if the president had elaborated, she added that he simply said, " 'I told them that they had to.' That was the end of it. That's the way it is."

Oh, it's better than that. When I was on the Hill on Tuesday, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) told us (on the record) the rest of the story. Apparently, Pelosi's final come-back to the president was the following:

PELOSI: He's tried this two times -- it's failed twice. I asked him at the White House, 'Mr. President, why do you think this time it's going to work?'

BUSH: Because I told them it had to.

PELOSI: Why didn't you tell them that the other two times?

yikes #2: the following appeared on Crooks and Liars today (via sravana):

Now, I know that there will be a segment of the readership that will automatically discount this considering the source, but keep in mind that this very topic has been discussed on the comment threads here and elsewhere. I will also point out that this same site predicted (correctly) Rumsfeld's resignation. So with that in mind, consider the following…

Comedy Central Insider:

The CC Insider/InDecider has just heard more rumors (see earlier posts) from a SECOND reliable source that Dick Cheney will be stepping down as Vice President and will be replaced as Vice President by Condoleezza Rice. And now we're hearing that she would like to be on the ticket as the GOP VP candidate in '08.

And then there's this closing advice:

Laugh now, but remember where you heard it first.