Trannie Annie and the State of The Conservative Movement

I saw the story about Ann Coulter’s remarks at the 34th annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), in which the Living Scarecrow from Hell dropped the "F bomb" on John Edwards. No, I am not talking about giving Edwards a Cheney-style "go F yourself." That would have been mild. No, Coulter called Edwards a "faggot."

So I decided to take a little trip down insanity lane to CPAC’s website to check out what kind of group would invite such a creature as Coulter to speak, and what other Neanderthals they would also invite. I figured that this must be a far right wing fringe group, and that no mainstream politicos, even Republicans, would grace them with their presence. Boy was I wrong.

Yes, this is a group of right wing nut jobs all right. But they are the nut jobs that we all know and love, ones who, by the way, are currently ruling this country. The CPAC is put on by the American Conservative Union, which, according to the website, is the oldest and largest grassroots conservative lobbying organization in the country. Since 1974 CPAC and has had among its guests Ronald Reagan, George H.W.Bush , Dan Quayle, and Bob Dole. And the guest speakers for this year’s conference includes such names as Newt Gingrich, Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney, Duncan Hunter, and Sam Brownback. In other words, almost all of the GOP’s presidential candidates are in Washington on their knees in front of the members of the American Conservative Union. Ok, that’s fine. These are all just conservative Republicans speaking to a conservative group. Nothing wrong with that. But why would they have the likes of Ann Coulter grace their presence? Everyone knows what vile vomit spews forth from her ugly mouth. You would think that they would want to distance themselves from her. But no.

Take a gander at the some of the other speakers: Sean Hannity, Tom Delay, Michelle Malkin, David Horowitz, Phyllis Schlafly, and Wayne LaPierre. A veritable rouge’s gallery of wackos and charlatans.

So here we have a group of people who are vying for the post of leader of the richest, most powerful country in the world, sharing the podium with the likes of Coulter and Hannity. That itself shows that the conservative movement has lost any credibility that it ever had. But if you really want to find out what kind of group would invite Ann, Sean, Tom and company, and want to see the real state of the conservative movement in this country, watch a video clip of Coulter (isn’t the internets a great thing?). It is not just what you hear from the mouth of the Blond Scarecrow. You expect that. But what is really shocking is the reaction of the audience: laughter, and then applause. This is the oldest and largest, and presumably the most respected conservative group in the country. A group that all of the GOP hopefuls must bow down to have a chance to win the party’s nomination. And they are laughing and applauding at someone referring to another person as a faggot?

What kind of people are these? It is obvious. They are people who are both morally and intellectually bankrupt. They are totally and completely devoid of ideas. The men they supported, Bush, Cheney, et al., and the "conservative" ideas that they have promoted, have literally bankrupted the country, destroyed the military, ruined our foreign policy, made us a rouge state, and tarnished the ideals that once made this a great country. Now they see their power slipping away, so what to do? Call in Ann to make fun of the other side.

And what does it say about the GOP hopefuls who attended and spoke to CPAC along with Ms. Adam's Apple? It likewise shows that they have lost any credibility as leaders that they ever had. These people should not be elected to the position of dog catcher, much less president. Watching the CPAC is heartening in one respect, however, because hopefully we are seeing, to paraphrase Cheney, the conservative movement in its last throes.

- Jeff Bloomfield

Update: It seems that the candidates that spoke at the conference along with Trannie Annie have found religion and have denounced her remarks. But guess what, it is too little and too late. They all knew that she was an invited speakers. And they all know what she is like. Did they think that she had gone to rehab and had changed her ways? I don’t think so. If they had any integrity and are not the craven political hacks they are they would have refused to attend. But, of course, this is their base. They can’t diss the CPAC and Annie. Well, you lie with dogs and you get fleas. But no flea collar applied now, after-the-fact, can rid these folks of the fleas that they picked up this week.

Ann Coulter Calls John Edwards a "faggot"

It's hard to ever say that Ann Coulter has stooped to a new low, because she's said so many awful things that it's hard to really categorize a single one of them as worse than any other. But her quote today, at the Conservative Political Action Conference, would at least make the Top 10:

“I was going to have a few comments on the other Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards, but it turns out you have to go into rehab if you use the word ‘faggot,’ so I — so kind of an impasse, can’t really talk about Edwards.”

What a worthless human being. How any American, regardless of one's political bent, could ever look at and listen to this woman and say, "You know, this is someone with whom I agree," is beyond me. She is despicable, and Republicans should be absolutely ashamed that she is one of their representatives. Forget about the fact that she may or not be a man...

Update: Despite writing articles about the Conference, no major media organization thought is was newsworthy to mention that Coulter called a former U.S. Senator and Vice Presidential candidate a "faggot." In the meantime, the Human Rights Campaign has called on all of the GOP presidential candidates present, as well as Shooter Cheney, who was also there, to condemn Coulter's remarks. Predictably, there's been no response so far from any of them.

Thursday Links

• As we noted on Tuesday, it has been reported that the federal Office of Women's Health has recently had more than one-quarter of this year's $4 million operating budget quietly removed. Today, Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Patty Murray (D-WA) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) called on the FDA Commissioner to stop the removal of this money and ensure that the Office is fully funded.

• As the controversy surrounding the appaling conditions at Walter Reed Hospital continues, news surfaced today that top officials at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, including the Army's surgeon general, have heard complaints about outpatient neglect from family members, veterans groups and members of Congress for more than three years.

• According to an AP investigation, Bush administration regulators approved children's lunch boxes that were laden with more than 10 times hazardous levels of lead, then lied about it and refused to release details of their tests. Bush believes the children are our future.

• Representative Marty Meehan (D-MA), will re-introduce The Military Readiness Enhancement Act, a Congressional bill to repeal the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ban on lesbian, gay and bisexual military personnel.

• Democrats in Congress have included the extension of union protection to 43,000 federal airport security workers to broad antiterrorism legislation. This proposal, predictably, has provoked opposition from Senate Republicans and the Bush administration. At the same time, despite the fact that the Democratic-led House today passed the Employee Free Choice Act, which would make it easier for workers to start unions away from employer intimidation, Senate Republicans have pledged to block the bill and the White House says President Bush'will veto the measure if it reaches his desk. Why is it that Bush and the GOP oppose any kind of legislation that would help unions? Is it because they're bought and paid for by large corporations?

Tuesday Links

• After being at the center of a politically damaging storm over the emergency contraceptive "Plan B, the federal Office of Women's Health has recently had more than one-quarter of this year's $4 million operating budget quietly removed.

• While Bush tried to tell them how well the Iraq war is going, state governors pressed him to provide more money for the Children’s Health Insurance Program. In response, administration officials said states should make better use of the money they already had (that is, tough shit, we've got to give more under-the-table money to al-Qaeda sympathizers in Iraq).

• As if you didn't know that people care about helping thw working poor, research shows that ballot initiatives for increasing the minimum wage boosted voter motivation in five targeted states in 2006.

• Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) and Rep. John Tierney (D-Mass.) will begin oversight hearings into how Walter Reed Army Medical Center subjected wounded soldiers and Marines to bureaucratic indifference and allowed them to live in squalor. Wait, oversight? Of the Bush Adminstration? Uh oh.
  

Joe Conason’s “It Can Happen Here” - A Review From DailyKos

As you can see from the permanent link to his articles, Joe Conason is one of our favorite political writers. Here is a tremendous review of his new book, “It Can Happen Here,” courtesy of the DailyKos.

"Telling the political story of the creeping unitary executive has been a challenge for both observant traditionalists and progressives. Resorting to Hitler comparisons when discussing the nation’s constitutional plight with the underinformed brings easy dismissal on the grounds of exaggeration. Drawing parallels between the rise of European fascism invites discussions of minute and often unimportant distinctions about whether uniforms are worn or trains run on time. Delving back further to comparisons with the Roman Empire rely heavily on a knowledge base that is often lacking in modern discussions.

But Joe Conason has hit upon an elegant solution on which to hang a very American narrative by reviving interest in Sinclair Lewis’ disturbingly prescient It Can’t Happen Here, written in 1935 as a response to Lewis’ concern about the rise of Italian fascism."

We haven't yet read the book, but feel very good about recommending it based on Conason's excellent work to-date, as well as this glowing review.

Alternative Energy Weekend News - 2/25/07

• Executives from some of the world's leading alternative energy companies argued their case to big investors this past Wednesday at Piper Jaffray's second annual conference on investor opportunities in alternative energy.

• A new pump system designed to turn salt water into fresh water when combined with desalination systems -- and produce clean renewable energy when combined with hydroelectric systems -- is currently being tested in the Gulf of Mexico, off the Texas coast.

• The Austin Technology Incubator's Clean Energy Incubator and Austin Energy have agreed to create the first test-bed environment in the United States for alternative energy companies to prepare their technologies for commercialization.

• A coalition of private companies and government agencies is launching a grassroots marketing campaign to persuade more Americans to help combat global warming by using energy-efficient light bulbs.

• The leaders of several worldwide corporations — including General Electric, Volvo and Air France — called last week for prompt, decisive action on climate change created by the emission of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide.

• A proposed law requiring new cars to comply with stricter emissions standards starting in 2011 won overwhelming approval last Tuesday from Maryland's House of Delegates. The legislation now moves to the Senate, where it is expected to also find strong support.