Himes? Shays? There is a difference...

From Charles at the Himes for Congress Blog:

- Social Security privatization advocate Newt Gingrich holds a fundraiser for Social Security privatization advocate Chris Shays in Greenwich:

"You know that almost 100 people showed up at 7:30 a.m. on a cold Tuesday morning," said Michael Sohn, campaign manager for Shays. "I think that people are curious to hear what speaker Gingrich is saying. He's one of the most intellectual people in politics."

- The New Haven Register was at a press conference with Rosa DeLauro and Jim Himes in Shelton, on the importance of protecting Social Security:The two Democrats spoke about the faltering economy and the financial difficulties retirees face every day.

Himes said there is "a general need to preserve and strengthen the economy and preserve the security of our senior citizens."

Himes, a former executive at Goldman Sachs & Co., said he understands the need for senior citizens to save and invest prudently in the stock market.

However, he supports the "basic promise" made to retirees that because of Social Security benefits, they will not face poverty in their golden years.

- The Politico thinks Shays might be ousted this year...snip...

With differences like these between the candidates, is there any wonder why Shays will likely be sent packing?

And as far as Gingrich being an intellectual, that is certainly debatable as he has shown some cunning in driving wedges into the political and voting sphere - you have to consider that Gingrich was in the avant guard of framing every argument for politics sake, and still worries about it today - BUT the mere fact that both he and Shays advocated for privatizing Social Security shows that neither of them have a lick of common sense.

And the fact that Gingrich is still, to this day, more worried about dishonest framing of his arguments for partisan political gain than he is about solving America's many problems - problems that he and his voodoo-trickle-down-ownership-society Republican ideology created - shows that he has learned nothing from the partisan bickering and economic failure in the last eight years. Neither has Shays if he aligns himself with this kind of gutter level political hack.

America: Did you enjoy the economic rape?

For those of you thinking that anything was solved with the handover of 700 billion dollars to the criminal and lecherous rich of this country, you have been sadly misinformed:

“More families with children are becoming homeless as they face mounting economic pressures, including mortgage foreclosures, according to a USA TODAY survey of a dozen of the largest cities in the nation.”

Saying the bailout benefited everyone is like saying rape benefits everyone and making the victim pay the rapist for the privilege of being victimized and terrorized.

They were bailed out with our money. They get to keep their expensive lifestyles and massive homes as a reward for their criminal actions and greed.

We get more homeless families.

They keep talking about helping the homeowners that are losing their homes to the real crisis. They have yet to do anything for them. They all talk about it and they all do nothing. They pass programs with so many loopholes to turn down the homeowners that I have yet to hear of one home being saved.

And what about the millions of Americans that already lost their homes?

Nothing. They will do nothing for them.

California GOP Voter Registration Fraud Arrest

Something you rarely ever hear about.. The GOP is trying to tag ACORN and the Obama campaign with the hoax of voter fraud... An actual arrest for what is the real voter registration fraud being used as voter suppression efforts by the GOP:

• BREAKING: CA GOP's Voter Reg Contractor Arrested for Reg Fraud
• VIDEO: Brad Breaks the Story LIVE on Fox News (w/ John Fund)!
  
  
• Washington Post: 1000's of Voters 'Incorrectly' Purged from Rolls
  
  
• Watchdog: Enormous 'Problems Facing Voters' Nationwide
  
  
• AZ Republican Promises to Go After Diebold
  
  
• WV: Touch-screen Votes Flipping to McCain in Early Voting
  
  
• TN: E-Registration Computers Delay Voting

(h/t Jim Starro at ePluribus Media)
Previously brewed here:

Supreme Court Stops Ohio GOP Voter Suppression Effort

Via the AP, the Supreme Court kicks the voting suppression efforts of Republicans where it counts... Out of court:

The Supreme Court is siding with Ohio's top elections official in a dispute with the state Republican Party over voter registrations.

The justices on Friday overruled a federal appeals court that had ordered Ohio's top elections official to do more to help counties verify voter eligibility.

Across the nation the GOP is trying to suppress newly registered voters' rights. Because a very few people turned in ridiculous voter registration cards the GOP has been trying to use it as an excuse to boot as many of the millions of newly registered voters from voter lists.

Republicans screech about "Mickey Mouse and Acorn!"

I say "GOP voter caging and voter suppression."

"I'm astounded that this issue is being trotted out again. Based on what I saw in 2004 and 2006, it's a scare tactic."

Who's that speaking? And what's he talking about?

That's fired US Attorney David Iglesias talking about the news leaked today that the DOJ and FBI are opening a nationwide investigation into allegations that the community organization ACORN is somehow working to undermine the November election through fraud. For more from Iglesias and his fellow fired US Attorney Bud Cummins, don't miss TPMMuckraker's Zack Roth's interview post from earlier this evening.

Previously Brewed in New Milford:

Acorn Droppings

Aldon Hynes over at Orient Lodge has been on top of sorting out the issues from the non-issues involved with the GOP's assault on Acorn in Connecticut.

This is problematic in many different aspects. Perhaps most troubling is that it shows a disregard for due process and the American belief that people, and organizations are innocent until proven guilty. Yes, two complaints have been filed. As noted above, there is good reason to question these complaints, and I believe that the SEEC will do an appropriate job in investigating the complaint and taking proper action.

The other concern is that instead of trying to make sure that “Everyone who is eligible has the right to register and vote”, Mr. Healy is calling for an end of a very successful and at least by every indication I’ve seen, properly run, voter registration effort.

Brad Blog has a whole bunch of it too:

So, Where's That ACORN 'Voter Fraud'?!

So far, nobody's been able to offer us a single instance of voter fraud as committed by ACORN, or even by any of the 1.3 million registered by them over the past two years. You sure wouldn't know it if you listened to the crazed rightwingers...

• McCain Was ACORN'S 2006 Keynote Speaker
  Video: Tells crowd they are "what makes America special"
  
  
• Brad at UK's Guardian: 'The Republican Voter Fraud Hoax'
  
  
• 1.3 Million Reasons for the GOP 'Dixie-Chicking' of ACORN
  
  
• See BRAD BLOG's "GOP ACORN 'Voter Fraud' Lie" page for more...

My suggestion when it comes to Acorn?

Grab a beer, read those sources... And then tell the GOP to go fuck themselves and their attempts at short cutting Republican voter caging efforts to its source based on the fact that Americans are registering to vote en masse because they are so pissed at Republicans and they can't wait to vote for candidates like Barack Obama and Jim Himes.

Heck... With the mob tied Cappiello running in CT-05, some Nutmeggers are probably even excited about voting for Chris Murphy.

Chris Healy is DWI if he thinks anyone is going to help him suppress the legitimate rights of people to vote just because he is tired of having to drink away the daily hangover of working for the GOP. Nobody in Connecticut is fat, drunk and stupid enough to take Chris Healy's low road on this issue.

Mickey Mouse tried to register to vote?

Whoopde-fuckingdoo! The GOP can grow up and get back to me when Mickey Mouse actually shows up on election day and tries to vote.

Does anyone discount the probability that Republicans filled out some of the fake cards to try and fabricate an Acorn scandal? And it really is a non-issue from the get go as long as the people paid to process the forwarded registration cards and the poll workers do their jobs.

Ohio McCain Supporter Outdoes Other Bigots

Villager at Electronic Village gets a clear picture of her neighbor:

It turns out that I'm living a few miles away from a racist guy in Fairfield (Ohio) who decided that it would be a wonderful sight for children on Halloween night to see an effigy of Barack Obama hanging from his tree.

Mike Lunsford is the racist fool who decided to hang this display at his home over on Symmes and Hicks Road in Fairfield.

There are some really sick people crawling out from under their rocks for this election...

Supreme Court Stops Ohio GOP Voter Suppression Effort

Via the AP, the Supreme Court kicks the voting suppression efforts of Republicans where it counts... Out of court:

The Supreme Court is siding with Ohio's top elections official in a dispute with the state Republican Party over voter registrations.

The justices on Friday overruled a federal appeals court that had ordered Ohio's top elections official to do more to help counties verify voter eligibility.

Across the nation the GOP is trying to suppress newly registered voters' rights. Because a very few people turned in ridiculous voter registration cards the GOP has been trying to use it as an excuse to boot as many of the millions of newly registered voters from voter lists.

Republicans screech about "Mickey Mouse and Acorn!"

I say "GOP voter caging and voter suppression."

"I'm astounded that this issue is being trotted out again. Based on what I saw in 2004 and 2006, it's a scare tactic."

Who's that speaking? And what's he talking about?

That's fired US Attorney David Iglesias talking about the news leaked today that the DOJ and FBI are opening a nationwide investigation into allegations that the community organization ACORN is somehow working to undermine the November election through fraud. For more from Iglesias and his fellow fired US Attorney Bud Cummins, don't miss TPMMuckraker's Zack Roth's interview post from earlier this evening.

Previously Brewed in New Milford:

Acorn Droppings

Aldon Hynes over at Orient Lodge has been on top of sorting out the issues from the non-issues involved with the GOP's assault on Acorn in Connecticut.

This is problematic in many different aspects. Perhaps most troubling is that it shows a disregard for due process and the American belief that people, and organizations are innocent until proven guilty. Yes, two complaints have been filed. As noted above, there is good reason to question these complaints, and I believe that the SEEC will do an appropriate job in investigating the complaint and taking proper action.

The other concern is that instead of trying to make sure that “Everyone who is eligible has the right to register and vote”, Mr. Healy is calling for an end of a very successful and at least by every indication I’ve seen, properly run, voter registration effort.

Brad Blog has a whole bunch of it too:

So, Where's That ACORN 'Voter Fraud'?!

So far, nobody's been able to offer us a single instance of voter fraud as committed by ACORN, or even by any of the 1.3 million registered by them over the past two years. You sure wouldn't know it if you listened to the crazed rightwingers...

• McCain Was ACORN'S 2006 Keynote Speaker
  Video: Tells crowd they are "what makes America special"
  
  
• Brad at UK's Guardian: 'The Republican Voter Fraud Hoax'
  
  
• 1.3 Million Reasons for the GOP 'Dixie-Chicking' of ACORN
  
  
• See BRAD BLOG's "GOP ACORN 'Voter Fraud' Lie" page for more...

My suggestion when it comes to Acorn?

Grab a beer, read those sources... And then tell the GOP to go fuck themselves and their attempts at short cutting Republican voter caging efforts to its source based on the fact that Americans are registering to vote en masse because they are so pissed at Republicans and they can't wait to vote for candidates like Barack Obama and Jim Himes.

Heck... With the mob tied Cappiello running in CT-05, some Nutmeggers are probably even excited about voting for Chris Murphy.

Chris Healy is DWI if he thinks anyone is going to help him suppress the legitimate rights of people to vote just because he is tired of having to drink away the daily hangover of working for the GOP. Nobody in Connecticut is fat, drunk and stupid enough to take Chris Healy's low road on this issue.

Mickey Mouse tried to register to vote?

Whoopde-fuckingdoo! The GOP can grow up and get back to me when Mickey Mouse actually shows up on election day and tries to vote.

Does anyone discount the probability that Republicans filled out some of the fake cards to try and fabricate an Acorn scandal? And it really is a non-issue from the get go as long as the people paid to process the forwarded registration cards and the poll workers do their jobs.

Palin and McCain Supporters Assault the Press

McCain, Palin and their violent right wing supporters are getting way out of hand:

Report from Palin rally
Newspaper stories from Palin's rally from [Mark Binker] and Joe Killian.

snip

As he was telling me a large, bearded man in full McCain-Palin campaign regalia got in his face to yell at him.

“Hey, hey,” I said. “I’m trying to interview him. Just a minute, okay?”

The man began to say something about how of course I was interviewing the Obama people when suddenly, from behind us, the sound of a pro-Obama rap song came blaring out of the windows of a dorm building. We all turned our heads to see Obama signs in the windows.

This was met with curses, screams and chants of “U.S.A” by McCain-Palin folks who crowded under the windows trying to drown it out and yell at the person playing the stereo.

It was a moment of levity in an otherwise very tense situation and so I let out a gentle chuckle and shook my head.

“Oh, you think that’s funny?!” the large bearded man said. His face was turning red. “Yeah, that’s real funny…” he said.

And then he kicked the back of my leg, buckling my right knee and sending me sprawling onto the ground.

There was no cop or security officer around to report this lugnut to, and Joe resisted the temptation to smack the guy back, which I commend. But let me say this: the guy who attacked Joe is a criminal, no better that the lunk-head who steels your car stereo or snatches a purse.

Any Obama supporters happen to catch any of this on video or a cell camera snapshot or something? Maybe the reporter can pick the Republican thug out of some pics that may be circulating on the Blogs?

[update] OMG! Joe Killian really has a sense of humor about all of it, all things considered:

How I Became Joe Sixpack
And then he kicked the back of my leg, buckling my right knee and sending me sprawling onto the ground.

From my position there I saw the bottoms of a number of feet almost accidentally stomping me to death as the two political camps screamed back and forth, the music continued to blare and some of the Obama crowd moved the large bearded man and his friends away. When I was helped to my feet the bearded man was walking away quickly.

For a moment I considered running the bloated, twelve-sandwich eating prick down and beating the living hell out of him…and then I remembered that I’m a reporter, how much I enjoy being gainfully employed and how hard it would be to keep my job if I got into a fistfight with a guy at a political rally.

So instead I limped off to try to find a security guard or cop.

When I did the guy was nowhere to be found.

“He’s this big fat guy with a brown beard and he’s wearing a McCain-Palin shirt and hat,” I said.

And then felt like an idiot. I was surrounded by people who fit that description.

The entire thing is worth the read... And kudos to the Obama supporters that helped him out.

Bigoted Republicans Passing the Buck

And the bigoted Republican that passed it around says "I didn't see it ..." Sure you didn't.

"I didn't see it the way that it's being taken. I never connected," she said. "It was just food to me. It didn't mean anything else."

More of the The October newsletter by the Chaffey Community Republican Women, Federated says if Obama is elected his image will appear on food stamps -- instead of dollar bills like other presidents. The statement is followed by an illustration of "Obama Bucks" -- a phony $10 bill featuring Obama's face on a donkey's body, labeled "United States Food Stamps."

snip

"It was strictly an attempt to point out the outrageousness of his statement. I really don't want to go into it any further," Fedele said in a telephone interview Tuesday. "I absolutely apologize to anyone who was offended. That clearly wasn't my attempt."

Fedele said she got the illustration in a number of chain e-mails and decided to reprint it for her members in the Trumpeter newsletter because she was offended that Obama would draw attention to his own race. She declined to say who sent her the e-mails with the illustration.

And she didn't see it was racist BUT she did it because Obama drew attention to his own race?

Just remember that this is what passes as fun humor in Republican emails these days. And she tries to blame Obama for her sick actions? There is a lot to be said about Republicans passing the buck on personal responsibility.