George Allen in WaPo interview: Heaven Save us!

[TayTay]

In honor of my favorite pic ever posted on DU (http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=497889&mesg_id=529153 ) I have decided to inaugurate a new series of posts on the JK forum:

Retard Threats to America's Future: George Allen

(Rethugs: You can't be serious. This man is a total moran.)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/26/AR2006022600697_pf.html

I told you people that he uses football waaaay too much to explain foreign policy. Just look at this first exchange in his heavy-hitting interview with the WaPo:

Why do you think the political environment in this country is as sour as it is?

ALLEN: I don't know, and it's something that I'm trying to find ways to unify this country and recognize who our enemy is. Usually you can unify -- and this does come from football -- you try to get people motivated and inspired for something. We are in the midst of a war. That doesn't mean we don't have differences on domestic policy, tax cuts maybe, exploration of the north slope of Alaska, who knows what. But as far as the war on terror we ought to have unity of purpose and there just doesn't seem to be that.

I've talked to some people --- talked to Dick on it, shared the discussions with my brother Bruce and others on this lack of unity in this country. The image for our enemies, our opposition, is that the United States is not necessarily unified. You have some saying we ought to pull out the troops and there should be a timetable and this is wrong and get all the Monday morning quarterbacking and so forth, as opposed to 'here's where we are and how are we going to succeed in this mission.' ... I think the president did try to do it in the State of the Union address, I don't know if he was successful, but I do think the president did try to find a unity of purpose for this country in the midst of this war on terror.

Iraq and the military action there -- we have differences in our country and differences with some of our allies as well. ... here we need to move in the future in the midst of this war is have our own country unified -- that's very important -- but also make sure we have our allies unified. There's been several good examples that maybe haven't been noticed. One was Lebanon. I had just come back from Iraq and Israel and days later Hariri was assassinated. The United States was all upset with it, Israel was all upset with it, telling the Syrians to get out. What was best about all that though was who else was upset. The Europeans -- particularly the French and they took the lead ... and then some of the more moderate Arab countries also said 'Syria get out.' So Syria saw 'Well alright there not going to have this usual division between Europe and the United States' and they pulled out.

We're seeing the same unity, which I think is important for the future, in so far as Iran is concerned and making sure they don't get nuclear weapons with that theocracy. The fact that we've worked the Big Three ... out of Europe -- Germany, France and Britain -- has been very good. The Russians, of course, have economic interests making money off of this nuclear power deal with Iran, and I was pleasantly surprised with China. I thought the best we'd get out of China was not vetoing it. So that's the sort of effort we're going to need. I am not sure we're always going to have China on our side. We cannot let Saddam Hussein create a rupture between European representative democracies and the United States.

What? What the hell did he just say? The man is a total idiot. The ellipses are there because this man can't think and the WaPo didn't want to publish all the 'ahms, and ahhhhs' cuz they are in the tank with the Repubs. Sigh!

America, we can do better than this flipping retard!

[whometense]

1. I think this is a really great idea.

In the same vein, I've been running a series of posts keeping track of McCain on my blog.

It's a public service to help make sure these slimy bastards stay well above the radar - we can add Romney to the list as well. I'd add Frist and Santorum as well, but they are always tracked by radar due to their high level of political stupidity. Allen may be stupid, but like Dumbya he's not politically stupid.

[TayTay]

3. Oh Whome, if it was up to me, you'd get the Medal of Freedom

Cuz saving America from the Marching Morons of the Rethug true believers is the highest service you can do for your country. Sigh!

I love the stuff you have been doing. McCain is not technically a 'retard' like Allen, but he is a threat to the nation. (Straight talk express, my arse.) And Romney is also a threat. More on him to come!

[globalvillage]

17. I think he's insane. (McCain)

"The President’s leadership has earned our trust in the war on terror"
-John McCain Feb 21, 2006

I don't know three people who would believe that bullshit. So, he's either a liar or he's insane, or both.

[karynnj]

2. He competes with W in incoherence

and the content makes no sense - unfortunately in the same way Bush does it- confating the war on terror and the Iraq war - neither of which have anything to do with football.

[ProSense]

4. My contribution:

a McCain thread.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2476246&mesg_id=2476246

[wisteria]

5. OMG, he can't formulate a concise sentence. What the hell is

he trying to say. There isn't enough time in a day to figure out what's in that head of his.

[TayTay]

6. Wisteria, that is a chamber of Hell

The Devil has this room set up in hell and takes the worst of the Rethugs there and makes them try and parse Sen. Allen's sentences. It's a very, very bad punishment, reserved for only the worst Rethugs. (If we had an operating Constitution, this would be against the 'cruel and unusual punishment' clause. As it takes place in hell, Rumsfeld rules apply and anything goes.)

BTW, it got worse:

What does it mean at this point given the record of the Bush administration to say, "I am a conservative"? What are the elements of conservatism today?

Good question. That is a profound question. The term conservative means different things to different people. I haven't looked at a dictionary definition. For me, it is one who trusts free people and free enterprise as opposed to meddling, burdensome government. There's a need for government in a civilization, but it should be very focused on its key responsibilities. At the state level, the top responsibilities are education and law enforcement. The federal government level -- it is clearly national security, national defense issues and I think key areas of research beyond the interstate commerce matters. And you need to do those things and focus on those.

Otherwise, leave people free. There are those though who think people won't make the right decisions and so therefore the government makes those decisions for them. You end up with higher taxes because the government needs to provide services. I'd just assume leave people to their freedom and they may not make the decisions that are the best decisions but it's their life. (Editors Note: This accounts for the conservative view of Katrina.) And I like the concept of individual responsibility. This would fit in with the conservatives who are traditional and don't change things and heritage and all that. And that is very important. I look at those as foundational principles expressed in the spirit of our Declaration of Independence to recognize why we seceded from Britain and make sure you stick to those principles. Those are principles of individual responsibility and the government is limited and that we as individuals in my view, all human beings regardless of what country they're born in, it doesn't matter their religion, their ethnicity, their race or their gender are naturally born free.

And this man has a degree with honors in History! (OMG! This is so wrong, he completely doesn't understand the Declaration of Independence or anything else having to do with US History.)

We also learned that George had a man-crush on Ronald Reagan. Even I can't quote his Reagan musings, they beling in Brokeback Rethugs, the Political Remake.

[wisteria]

7. If he ever gets anywhere near the Presidency, I am taking the next

plane out of this country headed for Europe.He would initiate the beginning of the end of the great American empire.

[sandnsea]

8. Well that's Republicanism

Right there in a nutshell. It's what I was talking about with Federalism. Remembering that at the time, there was no big "federal government", they were talking about the difference between the Executive Federal and the Congress as representing the People and the States. Anyway, they only believe the Federal responsibility is commerce and defense for commerce. All that people stuff, those services, aren't the responsibility of the Federal at all. Congress is just there as a representative to advise the Federal Executive on defense and commerce. Totally whacked view of our country, I agree, but that's what we've got and what the Federalist Society Supreme Court is going to give us. We're not going to have any rights or protections at all, if these people have their way.

[karynnj]

16. A degree with honors - OMG

Imagine what will be written if it is Allen vs Kerry.

[TayTay]

9. Allen: The Alito Filibuster

The fact that Tom Daschle was defeated. Notice how those plains state Democrats and Rocky Mountain Democrats voted on filibuster. ... There's object lessons, there's political object lessons. Notice Tim Johnson. I like Tim Johnson. His nephew plays with my son and I like Tim a lot. Tim was always voting for that stuff. Look at Kent Conrad, Baucus. I notice their votes -- they didn't vote with Reid and Clinton and Kennedy and all of them on this filibuster and Alito. That was one of the dividends of the 2004 elections.

Moth*rf*ck*r! I really, really can't stand this piece of shit, bullying, no-account, friggin bastid, douchebag arsehole. This is what he learned from the Alito filibuster: Bullying works? Dear Lord in heaven. (And he got to poor Tim Johnson through his nephew who plays with Allen's son and had him make his Uncle an 'offer he couldn't refuse.' OMFG!) Cheesus jumped up Frist on a side-car, this man is a real loon, a bully and has a thoroughly fermented brain.

I really don't like him.

[wisteria]

10. Oh come on, come out with it and tell us what you really think about

Allen. :sarcasm:

[ProSense]

11. Retard in Chief

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2483504&mesg_id=2483504

[TayTay]

12. OMG! Allen is a mini-me, only dumber

What a bunch.

[ProSense]

14. Idea!

A posters series of Bush with individual mini me Rethugs. Select pose:





http://theage.com.au/ffximage/2004/06/05/mini_me,0.jpg

[whometense]

13. Quote from the latest Harpers

http://www.harpers.org/TheCaseForImpeachment.html

The Case for Impeachment

Why we can no longer afford George W. Bush
Posted on Monday, February 27, 2006. An excerpt from an essay in the March 2006 Harper's Magazine. By Lewis H. Lapham.

A country is not only what it does—it is also what it puts up with, what it tolerates. —Kurt Tucholsky

[ProSense]

15. Excellent!

Reminds me of the Mirror front page. Bush has always been the incompetent moron before us, but some Americans are just waking up to that fact.

[ginnyinWI]

19. And allow me to quote Michael Tomasky:

I’m really not sure at this point that the country and the world will survive three more years of this bumbling, deceitful, artificial, and thoroughly mediocre man, and his bumbling, deceitful, artificial, and thoroughly mediocre courtiers. (Liberals, let’s just start saying it insistently and unapologetically: We were not being “elitists”; we were right in the first place -- he is just not smart enough to be the president of the United States.)

[CBHagman]

18. Allen on Health Savings Accounts

The top of my head blew off when I read this piece of asininity from Allen in this week's paper. Here's the link and the letter:

The suggestion that we need to take more "responsibility" for our health care is what puts me into an apoplectic rage. What responsibility would that be, George? Holding off going to the doctor until our condition is serious? Not getting sick at all? Ignoring symptoms and hoping they'll go away? Does this clown realize that a week in the hospital can cost a year's salary and that even people with PPO and HMO coverage can be socked with medical bills worth thousands of dollars? Does he realize most people live paycheck to paycheck?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/28/AR2006022801543.html

"Sebastian Mallaby's Feb. 13 op-ed column criticizing the Bush administration's proposed health savings accounts (HSAs), 'Ownership Society Redux; New Name, Same Policy,' ignored the fact that these accounts have been effective in providing an additional, affordable option for Americans who lack health insurance coverage.

"Critics who claim that rich people gain most from HSA tax breaks should look at the data: Of the 3 million Americans enrolled in such plans, more than 30 percent were previously uninsured.



"Mr. Mallaby was incorrect to suggest that these accounts are intended to 'fix' the U.S. health care system. They will, however, go far toward improving it by encouraging more individual responsibility. The tax benefits associated with HSAs do reduce government revenue in the short term, but this money, when used by tax-paying citizens for personal health care, will save the government money in the long run.

"If we continue to resist significant changes to our health care system, estimates suggest that entitlement spending will consume the federal budget by 2030. Health savings accounts offer a step in the right direction, away from that."

GEORGE ALLEN



U.S. Senator (R-Va.)


Washington


On edit: I wonder how much it costs to get the proctologist to dislodge George's head...

[wisteria]

20. Mum-bo Jumbo politics!

I, like you question the use of the word responsibility in Allen's piece. It's not a lack of responsibility that finds so many Americans without health insurance coverage. It comes from a lack quality work and pay, of commitment on the side of employers willing to provide this necessary benefit, and the outrageous costs of the care itself. The President's plan and Allen's defense of it just blames the victim without addressing the real problems with our current system. Health Care savings plans are nothing but ridiculous if you don't have the money to save in them to begin with.

Thanks for posting this, I hadn't seen it before.

[CBHagman]

21. Thanks for listening, and spread the word.

Not only do health savings accounts fail to address the fact that American health care costs rise more rapidly than those in other industrialized nations, but they encourage employers to get out of the PPO/HMO programs. They do nothing to address the way premiums are set or drugs priced. Worst of all, they really leave people with chronic conditions, high medication bills, and little if any disposable income out in the cold.

Some have suggested that the movement toward health savings accounts could be similar to the shift towards 401(k)s and away from pension plans.

On top of all that, the current administration still refuses to address that this country has no universal system of health insurance. They won't, because wealthy and powerful interests can always sink attempts to expand health coverage, a notable exception being the Medicare and Medicaid programs, which were fought off for quite some period of time.

Please, folks, do keep this issue alive with your friends, family, and co-workers, and get after your elected officials. This is the kind of thing they tend to slip under the radar.

I realize John Kerry is one of the very few people who has concrete proposals for expanding health care coverage, but there's no extensive and public debate yet. I'm hoping Michael Moore's next documentary will make people so freaking mad about the inequities in this country that the ground will begin to shift.

[wisteria]

22. I hope you're right and people start noticing the inequities. In the mean

time I will certainly bring this issue up when I can.

[ProSense]

23. I know it's early but

brace yourself. I read through it quickly, these are the last paragraphs.

George III
Virginia senator George Allen has the charm and red-meat appeal of a certain sitting president. Can he win the throne by running away from him?
By John Heilemann

Snip...

There was, however, one notable holdout whose loyalty remained, if not blind, at least stubbornly persistent: John McCain, who declared that Bush had “earned our trust” and “deserves the presumption” that he “would not sell our security short.

Now, it’s been apparent for some time that McCain has no intention of “making the same mistakes he made in 2000,” as David Keene puts it. That he’s made his peace with Bush and intends to run as his ally, not his foe. That the days of McCain the vaunted maverick are coming to an end. Yet the ports imbroglio may prove a harbinger of a more surprising dynamic in the 2008 race: a dynamic whereby McCain, out of fear of alienating the Republican base, plays the Bush loyalist, while his rival, Allen, driven by a sense that the base is shifting, plays the Bush apostate.

It’s still a long way until 2008, and any number of scenarios might yet unfold. Before Allen can turn his attention fully to the presidential contest, he must stand for reelection this November, and with the entry of former Navy secretary James Webb into the Democratic field, that may prove tougher than expected. Guided by Karl Rove, Bush may tack sharply back to the right and regain his footing with conservatives. And no one should underestimate the star power of McCain, or the role that primogeniture plays in the GOP. In the end, it may simply be McCain’s turn.

But weirder things have happened than a charming, incurious, pseudo-southern pol filling a Republican vacuum and becoming the consensus candidate. It would be ironic if someone so Bush-like emerged triumphant by fashioning himself as the anti-Bush. Ironic, but not unthinkable.


http://newyorkmetro.com/news/politics/powergrid/16381/index1.html

[karynnj]

24. Wow That is interesting and logical

Also, note that even in this, Allen, known his as "barfbag" is refered to as "charming".

[TayTay]

25. I can't see this.

He's not charming at all. He is dumber than bag of cold rocks and is a bully. I think that would come out in the course of a looooooong, bruising national race. You can't hide stuff like that.

[karynnj]

26. The problem is that everything you say was true of W.

If they really wanted charming - they could get the real thing by backing your Jr Senator, who is charming.

[ProSense]

27. I guess charming

has become a broad term to include the personality of an arrogant, clueless (did you hear his statement at the ports deal hearing?)and obnoxious jerk. After lauding Bush, the MSM obviously has low standards or warped sense of what's charming.

[GRLMGC]

28. The man is an idiot

I was reading an article on his opponent during the 2000 election and they profiled him briefly. Not only is he an idiot, but he's also very mean-spirited and loves the sound of his own voice

[TayTay]

29. No argument from me!

I think he's a bully and I hate bullies. (Really, I think that is the root cause of my extreme dislike of Allen, I think he's a bully.)