I can't believe it's not a democracy!

Predictable:

Alan Grayson calls a whore a whore-- Beltway whores freak out & defend Enron lobbyist working at the Fed. Naturally, democrats are piling on and trying to distance themselves from one of the truly progressive, strong true democratic voices in DC. I hope that Grayson gets soundly reelected and the sheep who are trying to paint him as a crazy man find themselves out of a job. Long and short, Grayson was right when he pointed out that Linda Robertson, a former Enron lobbyist and current Fed lobbyist, had "a long and well-known career as a "K Street whore." Sadly, Grayson felt compelled to apologize for using a term "seen as disrespectful of women."

I'm a woman and I don't see "whore" as disrespectful to women. Case in point: Jeff Gannon. I rest my case.

Thanks to John for the link.

I've said it before, but it bears repeating: Obama and Rahm are using the blue dogs and Baucus, et al.

as cover. The reason the health care reform bill is such a fucking mess is because they are happy with the result. Obama said one thing on the campaign trail, but now that he's president, well, he and Rahm would love to tap into all that big Pharm and insurance money--and keep it from the republicans. And Jane Hamsher of Firedoglake spells it out in: The Baucus Caucus: PhRMA, Insurance, Hospitals and Rahm.

Thanks to John for the link.

No doubt we will hear the same about Cheney (but it won't be due to a war injury):

Spain's Franco 'had one testicle'. And W is hung like a wasp (so I've heard). Do you sense a theme?

This makes a lot of sense:

Today's GOP Meets the Definition of a "Cult". Apparently the GOP meets 14 out of 15 of the core characteristics of a cult. Color me not surprised.

Thanks to John for the link.

Maybe the baby jesus had bad aim?

Iceland chooses Johanna Sigurdardottir as world's first gay leader. Congratulations, Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir.

I'm not surprised at all:

Starbucks plans to close 300 more shops as profit drops. I feel sorry for the employees who will be losing their jobs, but this was inevitable. Let's face facts, Starbucks sucks. They over roast (i.e., burn) their beans, and they are really selling milkshakes, not coffee. To be frank, I'm surprised they did as well as they did for so long. I hope that local coffee shops that care about coffee pick up the slack.

Link via Calculated Risk.

You knew this was going to come out some time:

Disgraced pastor Haggard faces more gay sex accusations. And yes, it did involve a "young male church volunteer," why do you ask? Apparently the pastor who succeeded Haggard was told about Haggard's sexual relationship with this young man by the young man himself...shortly after the hooker-meth story came out. Remember all that bullshit about Haggard going through some fundie religious ritual to get the queer out? No doubt parishioners at New Life Church are, once again, stunned by the revelation. If I had no scruples, I could make a fortune.

If this choice pisses off Senators Feinstein and Rockefeller, than I'm for it:

Leon Panetta is Obama's pick for CIA director. The LA Times notes: Sen. Dianne Feinstein, incoming chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, indicates she might oppose the pick. While a Rockefeller aide said that "the senator 'would have concerns' about a Panetta nomination." That's it--I'm sold!

Link via Atrios.

Update: Looks like it's not just us. Read Scott Horton's piece at Harper's Magazine: Two Inspired Choices for the Intel Community. Panetta (with Admiral Blair) is sounding like a very inspired choice by Team Obama. Glad to see a few picks are going to people who might actually usher in some change.

I guess W cleared out all the brush:

First Lady confirms: Dallas is new home. W and Pickles are abandoning the ranch for Dallas? No way, you must be asking? Why would they do that? Because it has outlived it's usefulness, silly. You see, Karl Rove knew that a bunch of closeted religious assholes would wet themselves over a faux cowboy but all he had was an ne'er-do-well idiot who needed to stuff his BVDs to raise a bulge, so he got W had to acquire some accessories (i.e., the "ranch") seeing as he can't ride a horse because he's afraid of them, and the rest is history (minus the long discussion about the theft of both the 2000 and 2004 elections). They call it staging in the real estate biz.

Link via Atrios

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Thank goodness there is a republican in the white house:

Wholesale prices rising at fastest pace since 1981. So, does anyone think their salary is going to rise at the fastest pace since 1981? Me neither. I can understand why the rich vote for republicans, well the greedy rich any way, but poor or middle class voters who vote republican because they don't want queers to perform forced abortions on christians? They get what they deserve. Sadly, we suffer with them. If only there was a way to limit the pain to those who willingly vote for it.