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Ivana Trump, Second Nigerian Man Escorted Off Airplanes
Posted by Joshua Holland, AlterNet on December 27, 2009 at 12:22 PM.

These two individuals appear to have committed very similar -- and similarly obnoxious -- brain-dead acts. But I wouldn't bet the Christmas fruitcake that they received the same treatment from law enforcement personnel ...

1:

A passenger onboard the same Northwest Airlines flight that was attacked on Christmas Day was taken into custody in Detroit on Sunday after becoming verbally disruptive upon landing, officials said.

A law enforcement official said the man was Nigerian and had locked himself in the airliner's bathroom. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing.

According to an update by the Associated Press, the man turned out to be a businessman who became ill during the flight. Investigators later said he'd posed no security threat.

2:

Police say Ivana Trump has been escorted off a plane in Florida after she became belligerent when children were running and screaming in the aisles.

Authorities say the first ex-wife of billionaire Donald Trump cursed at the children Saturday, and when flight attendants on the New York-bound plane tried to calm her, she became even more aggravated. Her spokeswoman, Catherine Saxton, did not immediately return a telephone message. Trump filed for divorce from her fourth

She has not been charged in the incident at Palm Beach International Airport. Palm Beach County sheriff's deputies asked Trump to voluntarily exit the plane, but they said she refused. She was then escorted off.

Appears to be the theme of the holidays.

X-Mas Terror Elicits the Expected Response from Greater Wingnuttia
Posted by Tintin, Sadly, No! on December 26, 2009 at 2:16 PM.

The incident on the Amsterdam-Detroit flight yesterday has, inevitably, elicited a torrent of nonsense from the usual suspects, all of whom apparently rushed to their computers before the Christmas roast had even been carved to share their almost entirely predictable, if completely ludicrous, takeaways on the subject.

Jim Don Bob Surber says it all in the title of his post “Flight 253 terrorist shows moving Gitmo to Illinois is a bad idea.” It also shows that the college bowl system is a bad idea. I mean, seriously, what the fuck? This would only make sense if the Supermax facility in question has a travel agency and could book flights for the terrorists inside, help them escape and then hand them bomb-making manuals as going-away gifts. This is yet another post by Jim Don Bob that definitively proves that second-hand meth smoke kills brain cells.

And what failed terrorist attack would be complete without our friends at NewsBlusters weighing in? In this case, Mark Finkelstein is all wound up because the New York Times didn’t say that the pseudo-bomber was a Muslim and instead simply called him a “Nigerian man.” One of the things that makes the pseudo-critics at NewsBlusters so amusing is their insistence that newspapers should just ditch the silly notion that they should print facts instead of assumptions. Well, not ourselves being a paper of record, we can oblige with dispensing with this silly notion about not publishing naked assumptions as facts and note that Finkelstein spent yesterday trying to figure out how to fellate a dead goat.

Read the rest of the post on the flip side »

Crazy Idiot Sets Off Firecrackers on an Airplane ... You Know What this Means, Right?
Posted by Thers, Whiskey Fire on December 26, 2009 at 11:29 AM.

A crazy idiot appears to have set off firecrackers on an airplane. Do you know what this EVEN MEANS?

1. It means Greater Wingnuttia is going to get the very special happy Christmas they most desire, because what they like best of all is to wet their pants in an ecstasy of hysterical screeching;

2. It means now every time we get on a plane we're going to have to get to the airport six hours early, then strip to our skivvies, stand on one foot, hold our nose, and recite the Pledge of Allegiance backwards before we can get to the gate to find out exactly how long the flight is delayed. Also, we won't be allowed on board while in the possession of any bodily fluids.

This Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab geek, what a dick.

Also he was apparently an engineering student. What the fuck is it with engineers and silly ideological extremism? You also see lots of climate denialist engineers infesting blog comment threads. Weird.

This Week in God
Posted by Steve Benen, Washington Monthly on December 26, 2009 at 10:11 AM.

In the last TWIG edition until the new year, the God Machine took note of E.J. Dionne Jr.'s column this week on the ways in which religion and politics didn't cause as big a stir as in previous years.

It is 2009's quiet story -- quiet because it's about what didn't happen, which can be as important as what did.

In this highly partisan year, we did not see a sharpening of the battles over religion and culture.

Yes, we continued to fight over gay marriage, and arguments about abortion were a feature of the health-care debate. But what's more striking is that other issues -- notably economics and the role of government -- trumped culture and religion in the public square. The culture wars went into recession along with the economy.

Read the rest of the post on the flip side »

A Very Wingnutty Christmas from Chuck Norris
Posted by Thers, Whiskey Fire on December 25, 2009 at 4:12 PM.

Here comes Chucky Norris, here comes Chucky Norris, right down Chucky Norris Lane.

I'm willing to bet that President Barack Obama's Christmas address this week will shine with a religious significance that's about as bright as what was in his unusually short Thanksgiving proclamation, which gave a token reference to God via a quote from George Washington.

I defy the Providers and wager a thousand quatloos!

Even in the Obamas' superstar Christmas interviews with Oprah Winfrey and Gloria Estefan, there were discussions about Santa Claus, Christmas trees, ornaments, gingerbread houses and even their dog's Christmas stocking. Obama even gave a Christmas shout-out to all Hispanics. But there was not one mention of religion or a hint of the real reason for the season.

Serious theologians be dismayed: Neither Oprah nor Gloria Estefan were troubled with complicated contemplation of profound religious matters by the leaders of the most powerful secular nation on Earth. 

Gone are the days when presidents and most politicians publicly rejoiced in the birth of Christ. Like many of you, I still remember a day -- even in Washington -- when Christ was central to Christmas. It was an America that was far less politically correct, an America that wasn't afraid to stand up for its belief in the babe who was born in Bethlehem.

Heh. As a commie, I liked how Joe Biden went and peed in the manger of the White House Nativity. Or something. What is Chuck on about...?

Read the rest of the post on the flip side »

Sorry, O'Reilly. Christians started the "War on Christmas"... in the 16th Century
Posted by Bruce Wilson, AlterNet on December 25, 2009 at 12:37 PM.

[for the real story on how the "War on Christmas" was born, and the nearly 400-year long ban on Christmas in Scotland, see 1/3 of the way through full article]

The war on the war on Christmas, made simple

A relentless war waged by secular American threatens to do in Christmas claims Bill O'Reilly. It's not a new accusation. In 1958, a John Birch Society pamphlet warned,

"The UN fanatics launched their assault on Christmas in 1958, but too late to get very far before the holy day was at hand... They are already busy, however, at this very moment, on efforts to poison the 1959 Christmas season with their high-pressure propaganda. What they now want to put over on the American people is simply this: Department stores throughout the country are to utilize UN symbols and emblems as Christmas decorations."

Read the rest of the post on the flip side »

The Birthplace of Jesus Is 'Under Siege' This Christmas
Posted by Zaid Jilani, Think Progress on December 25, 2009 at 10:53 AM.

As millions of Americans celebrate Christmas with their loved ones today, one group of people will commemorate the holiday in a state of virtual “siege.” Palestinian Christians in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, are living under an occupation that is squeezing the city’s only hope for economic recovery — tourism.

The Israeli “security fence” — a sometimes 8-meter tall barrier that contains guard towers and barbed-wire fortifications that the World Court has ruled is illegal — cuts deep into the Palestinian city, and severely restricts travel and supplies. The United Nations estimates that between 50 to 70 percent of the agricultural land used by the citizens of Bethlehem has been confiscated by the building of Israel’s fence and settlement expansion. As a result of the occupation, fewer than 30 percent of visitors choose to spend the night there. ”When tourists see the wall, they think they are going into a war zone,” Adnan Suboh, a souvenir shop owner told the press. ”They are afraid.”

Meanwhile, Israeli officials have let few Christians from the Gaza Strip travel to Bethlehem to make pilgrimages for Christmas. While the Strip has nearly 3,500 Christians, the Israeli government has only offered travel permits to those below the age of 16 or above the age of 35, and “only 200 Christians from Gaza” have been allowed to make the trip.

Al Jazeera English filed this report from the city, noting that it is virtually “under siege” during Christmas. Watch it:

As the Wonk Room’s Matt Duss notes, the Israeli government oftentimes disregards thehuman rights of its Palestinian neighbors. He suggests that threatening to suspend aid to Israel “is the only thing likely to change Israel’s behavior.”

(HT: Juan Cole)

Rep. Keith Ellison: Public Option Still Possible If We Get Loud
Posted by AlterNet Staff, AlterNet on December 25, 2009 at 8:48 AM.

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) said Thursday on Twitter that the fight for the public option was still on. Ellison tweeted: "Don't Quit on #PO. Still very possible if we get loud now."

From the Hill: 

Ellison's words match the sentiments of several House Democrats who in recent days have said they would fight hard to keep provisions from their bill in the final proposal after it emerges from conference committee.

But Democratic senators have firmly held that their bill will take precedence over the House's when the two are merged.

House Rules Committee Chairwoman Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday said the Senate's bill is so fundamentally flawed that the effort should be scrapped and lawmakers should go back to the drawing board. Slaughter's comments echo Republican calls to kill the bill.
 

Reality Is Sooo Boring When Compared to Right-Wing Fantasyland (Happy Holidays!)
Posted by Joshua Holland, AlterNet on December 25, 2009 at 6:32 AM.

I'm spending my first holiday season in the People's Republic of San Francisco.

When I walk the streets of this berg, I assume everyone I encounter is a pinko atheist like myself. But I'm happy to report that people here use "merry Christmas" and "happy holidays" interchangeably! And, as far as I can tell, nobody gives a flying fuck through a rolling doughnut how they're greeted.

I find this somewhat disappointing, having expected the dark troops arrayed against the forces of Christmas to be goose-stepping down Market Street all Red Army-style. Real life is decidedly dull compared to the wingnuts' fantasies, no?

Anyway, I want to wish all of our readers a very happy Festivus. May your grievances be fully aired!

And here's Daisy, wishing you all the dessicated pigs' ears your heart desires in the New Year ...

Obama Thanks Troops in Christmas Address
Posted by AlterNet Staff, AlterNet on December 25, 2009 at 5:51 AM.

In his weekly address, President Obama and the First Lady give thanks to American troops. The President and Michele Obama also list some ways Americans can help out the troops over the holidays:

Why Our System Doesn't Work
Posted by Steve Benen, Washington Monthly on December 25, 2009 at 5:01 AM.

EVEN IN SUCCESS, 'THE SYSTEM' IS IN TROUBLE.... We've all heard the phrase, "The system worked." It's usually uttered after some contentious, tumultuous, needlessly complicated process meets with a satisfactory conclusion. The suitable result, in these cases, came not from a radical departure from existing norms, but by slowly, painfully working within the framework already in place.

When it comes to health care reform, one might be tempted to think "the system," in the broadest possible sense, "worked." We had hearings, a lengthy debate, and a back and forth that I suppose we can describe as spirited. In the end, the House culled together a majority to pass its bill, and the Senate managed to overcome Republican obstructionism and pass its bill with a 60-vote majority. It wasn't pretty, and it was excruciating to watch at times, but after compromising, cajoling, persuading, and arm-twisting, health care reform worked its way through the system.

Our politics, the argument goes, must not be completely broken, since policymakers were able to identify a problem, propose a solution, and pass legislation. It might even give someone hope -- if officials can work within the system to address the health care crisis, they presumably can do the same to address any number of other major policy challenges.

Mark Schmitt, who was pleased with this morning's vote, explains why that would be the wrong lesson to have learned.

The reason [the health care vote] feels like a loss is simply that fact, that any sense of movement or possibility in our political institutions -- and again, I mean mostly the Senate but not only the Senate -- is gone. Getting exactly 60 votes, on an issue where the ground has been prepared, is possible only on rare occasions. That Obama, and Harry Reid and his allies, hit that small target on the single issue that has eluded every progressive president before him is wonderful for both the health-care system, and for those millions who need care, but still, it does not bode well for our political future.

I've always argued that Obama viewed his central domestic mission as changing the culture and practice of American politics. The passage of health reform is a revelation of just how desperately that change is needed and how difficult it will be to achieve.

Read the rest of the post on the flip side »

Health Care Costs Curb Holiday Spending
Posted by mcjoan, Daily Kos on December 24, 2009 at 4:30 PM.

Happy Holidays, if you can figure out how to pay for it.

An opinion survey ... finds that two out of five Americans plan to spend less this holiday season because of rising health care costs, and three out of ten say health care costs have led to arguments and tension within the family....

Additional findings:

· Nearly a quarter of Americans admit that they would consider withholding information from an insurance provider if it might limit their ability to access health care. Those who consider their views “very liberal” are more likely than others to withhold information or bend the truth about their family’s’ and their personal medical history.

· Nearly a quarter of Americans are taking fewer sick days at work (a finding that bolsters concerns that workers are not taking time off when they get the flu, for fear of losing their job).

· The recession has pressured Americans to change their behavior regarding health care, primarily by visiting the doctor less. A third of Americans are concerned about losing their health care insurance and one in ten Americans has been forced to drop their health care insurance.

· More than 90% of Americans are satisfied with their insurance coverage. However, 33% do not take advantage of preventive health testing/screenings even when it is available through their current coverage—an interesting finding, given the fierce debate over mammograms, and the amendment just passed in the Senate requiring insurers to pay for annual mammograms for all women over 40. Perhaps this issue isn’t all that critical to the electorate?

· The majority of Americans feel either annoyed or frustrated by the current health care debate. Older Americans nearing retirement are following the debate most closely and tend to feel more anger, tension and helplessness.

I think the majority of Kossacks feel annoyed and frustrated by the current health care debate, too. Watching the debate in the Senate, with all the misinformation about Medicare, with all the irrelevant focus on abortion, with very few in this debate focusing on the fact that the American people are hurting and that the cost of healthcare is a huge part of that hurt is alienating. It's a reflection of how out of touch too many of our elected official are with real life.

Christmas Eve Marks the 3,000th Day of the War in Afghanistan, the 30th Anniversary of the Soviet Invasion
Posted by Zaid Jilani, Think Progress on December 24, 2009 at 3:02 PM.

Yesterday, Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY) — a 24-year Navy veteran and former Special Assistant to Supreme Allied Commander of NATO Wesley Clark — wrote an op-ed in The Hill noting that today, Christmas Eve, marks the 3,000th day of our war in Afghanistan and also carries another historic significance for the nation of Afghanistan: It’s the 30th anniversary of the Soviet invasion of that country:

As we begin our deployment of 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, this Christmas Eve will also mark the 3,000th day of the war in Afghanistan and the 30th anniversary of the initial Russian invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. Thus far, this war has already cost the American taxpayer a minimum of $300,000,000,000 according to the Congressional Research Service (and that’s just the funding that’s “on budget”).

Sadly, the fact that we’re spending about $101 million per day in this war is the good news. The financial cost of this war is nothing compared to the fact that 937 American troops have been killed, and 4,434 have been wounded (and that’s not counting the thousands more that will carry the memories of this war for their entire lives).

Massa went on to call for an up-or-down vote on the funding for the upcoming escalation of troops, and insisted that we begin to drawdown our forces from the country — something President Obama has indicated he supports and which most Americans do as well. During an interview two months ago, former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev shared his feelings on the Afghan war, given his country’s experience there. When asked what lessons he learned “that President Obama should heed in making his decisions about Afghanistan,” Gorbachev –- who ended the Soviet Union’s 10 year war there in 1989 — replied, “One was that problems there could not be solved with the use of force. Such attempts inside someone else’s country end badly.”

ACORN Broke No Laws - Dems Still Threw Them Under the Bus
Posted by Ian Welsh, Open Left on December 24, 2009 at 2:00 PM.

As with David, I'd like to take a moment away from the holiday to highlight a story which I don't want buried.

The NYTimes reported yesterday that Acorn broke no laws.  None.  In the last five years.

But the Democratic Congress still threw them under the bus, with an illegal bill of attainder, banning them from receiving any government money before waiting to see if they really had done anything wrong.  Very similar to how they censured MoveOn for daring to challenge Petraeus.

Can you imagine the Republicans doing the same?  When the Swift Boat Vets lied repeatedly about John Kerry, did the Republicans vote to censure them?

And for that matter, did Dems try and censure the Swift Boat Vets?

Democrats constantly throw their own supporters to the wolves.  It’s one of the reasons there is little real loyalty on the left.  On the right, someone may occasionally have to take a bullet for the team, but afterwards they’re well taken care of and even rehabilitated if possible.  And major conservative organizations aren’t repudiated, nor do Republican leaders generally speak of “conservatives” with the sort of contempt that Democratic leaders reserve for liberals and progressives.

Democratic Congresspeople, as a group are weak people without strategic sense or the ability to bargain.  The exceptions, the strong ones, are unfortunately mostly conservadems - Republicans in drag like Ben Nelson.

If 40% of Dems are thinking of not voting in 2010 it’s exactly because Democrats won’t stand up for their own base.  For their own people and what those people believe in and need.  They only stand up for Pharma, banks, insurance companies and other entrenched powers.

Loyalty.  It’s a two way street.  And neither the White House, nor Congress, have shown any.

The Senate Deal May Be a Sh*t Sandwich, but If You're Hungry Enough ...
Posted by Joshua Holland, AlterNet on December 24, 2009 at 1:20 PM.

I'm pretty far to the left, so I'm not accustomed to taking fire from that direction as I have on occasion during the debate over health-care reform. I get the sense that it's become popular in some progressive circles to demagogue both the Dems' compromised reform package and anyone who doesn't attack it with lupine ferocity (the folks over at FireDogLake have kind of gone off the deep end and are threatening a primary against Bernie Sanders, of all people, because he held his nose and voted for the bill).

I'll freely admit that I'm willing to eat a shit sandwich in order to get 31 million people decent health insurance. Maybe not a shit smorgasbord, but a sandwich. And the thing that I don't get is why others aren't just as eager to gobble it down.

Here's the thing: for my entire adult life, Congress has pushed through big legislative packages that showered tax dollars on various industries. Every single year we eat a 5-course shit-meal when the defense bill is passed. The health scheme will cost us $900 billion to set up over ten years -- then it pays for itself. The Iraq war cost $915 billion over seven years, will continue to cost us in the foreseeable future, and will come with huge long-term costs in terms of veterans' care. We got fat defense contractors -- Blackwater, anyone? -- and dead Iraqis for that one.

The bailouts... nobody really knows how much they cost. But it's a hell of a lot more in just two years then we'd spend on health-care in a decade -- it was a sumptuous feast of shit. We didn't insure 31 million people with those dollars -- we bought bonuses for Goldman Sachs execs and financed Morgan Stanley's take-overs of smaller banks.

These are just two examples. I could go on -- look at the money we spend on trade promotion, R and D for the private sector, financing organizations like the IMF that impoverish developing countries. Look at how many dollars we give in tax breaks, at every level of government, to corporations to expand or relocate. It seems very odd to me to think about drawing our line in the sand on this massive give-away -- the first one I can remember that would have real benefits for real people.

Now, I'm not fighting a straw-man here -- I know progressives weren't happy about the bailouts and the costs of our imperial wars. They're not happy about the fact that Corporate America has become the worst kind of welfare queen.

But the point is that I don't remember another shit sandwich that actually delivered something to ordinary working people.

Read the rest of the post on the flip side »