The Nightwatchman - Whatever it Takes

Whatever It Takes

Saturday with The Byrds

Political Cartoon of the Week and Asshole of the Week

Happy Birthday to Pittsburgh - 250th Anniversary

Another Song and Video by Mike Stout

Rachel Maddow Show: Auto Workers Being Blamed for Problems

Arlo Guthrie - I'm Changing My Name To Fannie Mae

Arlo "updates" Tom Paxton's "I'm Changing My Name To Chrysler" for these times.

Arlo Guthrie [1987] Alices Restaurant "Reprise"

Dixie Chicks - Travelin' Soldier

OBAMA UNVEILS ECONOMIC TEAM

How Bout One From My Union Brother

Stand or Fade - Mike Stout at the Pump House, Homestead PA
More of Mike's Music and Concert Info @ Mikes Facebook Site

Saturday with Bruce and Woody

Asshole of the Week

From Think Progress

In its “sprint to the finish,” the Bush administration is working tirelessly to enact or alter a wide array of federal regulations that would weaken government rules protecting consumers, workers, and the environment.

As Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV), chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, told the Wall Street Journal, “This administration will stop at nothing to jam through as many reckless proposals as they can before the clock runs out.”

The Wonk Room and ThinkProgress are keeping a close eye on Bush’s Backward Sprint to the Finish, and have compiled a document to keep tabs on both the proposed and already enacted changes. Here are some examples:

Cutting back Medicaid: New rules “narrowed the scope of services that can be provided to poor people under Medicaid’s outpatient hospital benefit.”

Allowing mining near the Grand Canyon: A proposed rule by the Bureau of Land Management would prevent Congress from ordering emergency withdrawal of federal land from mining claims. The House Natural Resources Committee “issued such a withdrawal order in June for about 1 million acres near the Grand Canyon.”

Allowing more emissions from power plants:: The Environmental Protection Agency is “finalizing new air-quality rules that would make it easier to build coal-fired power plants, oil refineries and other major polluters near national parks and wilderness areas” by weakening the Clean Air Act.

From Crooks and Liars

A last-minute Bush administration plan to grant sweeping new protections to health care providers who oppose abortion and other procedures on religious or moral grounds has provoked a torrent of objections, including a strenuous protest from the government agency that enforces job discrimination laws.

Hillary and Patty Murphy Are trying to Stop Bush's BullShit

The proposed rule would prohibit recipients of federal money from discriminating against doctors, nurses and other health care workers who refuse to perform or to assist in the performance of abortions or sterilization procedures because of their “religious beliefs or moral convictions.” It would also prevent hospitals, clinics, doctors’ offices and drugstores from requiring employees with religious or moral objections to “assist in the performance of any part of a health service program or research activity” financed by the Department of Health and Human Services. The counsel, Reed L. Russell, and two Democratic members of the commission, Stuart J. Ishimaru and Christine M. Griffin, also said that the rule was unnecessary for the protection of employees and potentially confusing to employers. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 already prohibits employment discrimination based on religion, Mr. Russell said, and the courts have defined “religion” broadly to include “moral or ethical beliefs as to what is right and wrong, which are sincerely held with the strength of traditional religious views.”

Political Cartoon of the Week

Rush Limbaugh thinks you should work till you die

From Crooks and Liars

The anti-union movement is on, and it all is centered around the automotive industry's quest for a rescue package/loan from the government. Limbaugh leads the charge in his Monday, Nov. 17 broadcast.

As the clip unfolds it appears that his own boss was trying to get him to change the topic. A caller who self-identifies as a Republican tries to shoot down some of the myths of the UAW that Limbaugh pushes on his flock on a daily basis. When asked about working past 67, he spins it by saying you shouldn't retire at 55.

It's a long clip, but this is what's being said. His boss even freaks out on him at the end:

Limbaugh: You're a nice guy and I'm sure that you are a salt of the earth guy but since you asked, What I am supposed to do, go back to work at 67? No, you're not supposed to retire when you're 55. You sound to me like you are totally capable of still working. Unless you work for a place that forces you out and says 55 you can no longer do the job, you got no business retiring at 55 IF you can't afford to retire. What's wrong....My boss is having a conniption there. What's wrong? Is that the unpolitick thing to say? I have not ... the American Dream. I have not redefined the American Dream. The American Dream is retire at 65. People are retiring now at 50 and 55 and so forth when they are still capable of working. According to the tables at 55, you've got 22 years left...

I have not redefined the American Dream. I have not redefined it. ... I don't understand what I said that's wrong here.

What planet is this man living in? He keeps digging deeper and deeper. Does he even know what the American Dream is?

h/t to C&Ler Dan for sending in the audio and says:

Rush basically tells auto workers that if their pension plans go bankrupt, they should go back to work.

Limbaugh obviously has no idea what concessions the UAW has already made. "GM, Union Agree on Contract to End Strike"

And this:

For General Motors (GM), a new labor contract represents a step forward. For the United Auto Workers, a big step back.

The two sides came to a tentative agreement on a new, four-year labor pact at 3:05 a.m. EDT Sept. 26, ending a two-day strike. If UAW President Ronald Gettelfinger can get the deal ratified by his 74,000 GM workers in the coming days, the contract will pull the automaker much closer to Toyota's (TM) cost structure. But for the UAW, it will roll back contract benefits and wages won over years of collective bargaining.

Many in the progressive movement did not like these concessions, but they happened. We can debate that later, but to gasbags like Limbaugh, if you work for a company for 30 years, you shouldn't get a pension and should work till you die. Does he hate policemen and firemen as well? Should they not be able to retire with a pension after trying to keeping us safe for thirty years on the job?

Music from 8 Mile - Eminem - Lose Yourself

Through the GOP Looking Glass

A video mashup by Blue Gal

This is Cool - PSP 3000 Inside-Out

I own a PSP (Playstation Portable) 2001.This is a cool video of the new model being taken a part in timelapse photograpy. Only difference between the 2001 and the 3000 is a brighter screen and a built in mic. PSP's are not only a game machine. I have 150 songs and 5 movies loaded into mine. I have the 4 gig card. It also has a web browser, Skype, an RSS reader, internet radio, and some other net stuff that use the built in WIFI. I love my PSP.

It's a New Day - will.i.am

Asshole of the Week

Bill O’REILLY: So you can see the debate over gay marriage is now a full fledge national battle. As talking points said last night the election of Barack Obama has emboldened secular progressives who feel it is their time. Gay marriage just the beginning. Other cultural war issues will also be in display very shortly. These include limiting gun possession, legalizing narcotics, unrestricted abortion and the revocation of the Patriot Act.

Political Cartoon of the Week

William Ayers: Setting The Record Straight

Maddow Wears PJs To Show Solidarity For Bloggers

From Think Progress

Last night, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow showed a clip of Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) complaining about being criticized by “some blogger” sitting “in their parents’ basement.” Maddow — who later said she saw herself as “a blogger on TV” — did the show in her pajamas to show solidarity with bloggers

Conservatives love to blast bloggers. Defending Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Joe Scarborough mocked bloggers “just sitting there, eating Cheetos” in “their underwear,” while Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) complained that bloggers add “vituperation toxicity” to the political debate.
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I've Posted about Neo-Con attacks on Bloggers a few times on this blog. Just thought yunz would like to know what I look like while I'm working on MadPoet.

Keith Olbermann on Prop 8

Homestead Town by Mike Stout

Watch more MySpace videos on AOL Video

Rockin with Stevie Wonder

Political Cartoon of the Week

Asshole of the Week

One of my favorite songs of the Civil Rights Movement

Thirsty Boots

Quote of the Day

"What do you think of Community
Organizing now, Pasty-Assed Mother-effers?"
-- Wolcott in Vanity Fair

President-Elect Barack Obama in Chicago

CNN Takes A Look At The Campaign That Was

The Only thing I can Say is

HELL
YES

People Have The Power

Making it Count: How to Protect Your Vote & Spot Dirty Tricks

If You Live in Cali Vote NO on Prop 8

Talkin Bout a Revolution Saturday

VOTE

Asshole of the Week

Dole's 'Godless' ad causes stir

(CNN) — The already-contentious North Carolina Senate race took a brutal turn Wednesday after incumbent Sen. Elizabeth Dole released a television ad suggesting challenger Kay Hagan is "Godless."

“A leader of the Godless Americans PAC recently held a secret fundraiser for Kay Hagan,” the 30-second ad says before showing clips from members of the group declaring God and Jesus do not exist.

“Godless Americans and Kay Hagan. She hid from cameras. Took godless money,” the ad's narrator also says. “What did Kay Hagan promise in return?”

Watch: Dole hits airwaves with 'Godless' ad

The ad ends with an unidentified female voice declaring, "There is no God."

The Dole campaign says it's basing its charge on Hagan's attendance at a fundraiser that was in the home of an advisor to the Godless Americans’ political action committee, a group that promotes rights for atheists.

In a conference call with reporters Wednesday, Hagan said she has never heard of the Godless PAC "before Lydie Dole sent out a press release on this," and said the fundraiser in question had more than 40 hosts, including Sen. John Kerry. She also said she has contacted her lawyers to issue a cease-and-desist order on the commercial.

"I am absolutely appalled at Elizabeth Dole's vile tactics," Hagan said. “This is politics of the worst kind, and I know it has been rejected by North Carolinians at every level. It is so unbecoming of a woman like Elizabeth Dole. This is a fabricated, pathetic ad."

Hagan went on to strongly defend her faith: "I am a Sunday school teacher, I am an elder at First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro, my family has been going to this church for over 100 years, I have raised my children there. I have been involved in youth missions."

A National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesman defended the ad.

"Kay Hagan recently attended a fundraiser held in the home of a founding member of the Godless Americans PAC," Online Communications Director John Randall said. "Now Hagan believes it is unfair to associate her with the group even though the soiree raised her thousands of dollars in campaign cash. I guess money is more important to Hagan than principles."

Recent polls suggest Hagan — a Democratic state senator from Greensboro who began the race at a major money disadvantage to Dole — is now leading the incumbent slightly with only days remaining before Election Day.

Political Cartoon of the Week