Boehner: Iraq Is Like My Small Packaging Business
Last week, Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL) compared the war to a Cardinals-Cubs baseball game. Reinforcing the notion that conservatives are deeply out of touch with the realities of the war, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) today compared Iraq to the small plastics and packaging company he used to run in Ohio.
Boehner used his analogy to justify setting teethless benchmarks for the Iraqi government. “I owned a small business. I have benchmarks every month, but if I didn’t meet the benchmarks and if I missed the profit margin, I didn’t shut down the business. I didn’t yank the funds and close up the door.”
Watch it:
The war in Iraq isn’t a small business, and 100 U.S. soldiers weren’t killed every month if Boehner couldn’t sell enough bubble wrap. This war is threatening U.S. security, crippling the U.S. military, and drawing resources from other critical priorities. Conservatives just can’t wrap their heads around those facts.
Indeed, they actively ignore U.S. intelligence. Boehner said this morning, “At the end of the day, Chris, Iraq is not about a civil war. Iraq is about al Qaeda… It is not a civil war.” This directly contradicts the findings of both the U.S. intelligence community and the Pentagon.
UPDATE: Atrios notes that Boehner extended his recently-expired 60-90 day deadline for Iraq progress “three to four months.”
Transcript:
WALLACE: The Republican leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, as well as your number two man in the House, Roy Blunt, are both talking about attaching this idea of political benchmarks to a spending bill with the possibility of cutting off not military aid, but foreign aid, if the Iraqi politicians fail to meet these political benchmarks.
Could you support that?
BOEHNER: I don’t know. I’m clearly for benchmarks. I had a benchmark proposal I introduced in January with a number of my colleagues that laid out benchmarks.
It laid out a way to measure the progress in Iraq. It required the president to report to Congress every 30 days. And the idea behind it was to try to measure the progress, intervene when you need to, to try to ensure success.
I used to run a small business. I owned a small business. I have benchmarks every month, but if I didn’t meet the benchmarks and if I missed the profit margin, I didn’t shut down the business. I didn’t yank the funds and close up the door.
I tried to figure out, Well, what do I need to do in order to meet those benchmarks? And that’s the whole point. I’m for benchmarks that are for success. I’m not for benchmarks with artificial timelines, yanking funds, trying to ensure that there’s failure in Iraq.
+++
BOEHNER: Well, I think this fall, people are going to want to assess how well is the plan working. Are there changes necessary.
And I think the Bush administration on a monthly basis will be looking at how is the plan working, are there changes necessary to the plan.
At the end of the day, Chris, Iraq is not about a civil war. Iraq is about Al Qaida and 76 other terrorist groups operating there, and all of their effort is aimed at defeating the United States.
Earlier on your program, you had — Senator Dodd talked about this being a civil war. It is not a civil war. There is some sectarian violence between the Sunni and Shia, most of it being stirred up by the Iranians.
But it’s Al Qaida and their affiliates who have made Iraq the central front in their war with us. And we have to remember they started this, not us.
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Well if Boner believes in no standards or benchmarks he should probably be doing more to increase enlistment. Especially from eligible Republicans.
May 6th, 2007 at 11:20 amDo they not see the death tolls?
…
May 6th, 2007 at 11:24 amHow many inappropriate analogies will these guys do?
Does Boner have bloody blown up bodyparts strewn about his workplace?
May 6th, 2007 at 11:25 amI doubt it…The Bonemeister must have had some Gin this morning!
Oh my god, the carnage of the small packaging business….
F*ck off, Boner.
May 6th, 2007 at 11:26 amIf this is an example of our “intelligent” government officials - that’s scary. Is the administration and it’s foreign policy “experts” so dumb? They just don’t get it. We bomb a country back into the stone ages and piss off a lot of people and now we wonder why they’re mad at us?
I am sooo tired of such boneheads trying to “explain” things - but of course, the boner appeared on Fox Noise.
May 6th, 2007 at 11:27 amHow many employees were dying each month at his company?
May 6th, 2007 at 11:29 amSo, his shrink-wrapping company borrowed $2,000,000,000 each week just to stay in business, and 100 employees died each month? At what point would such a business merit closing, Mr. Boehner?
May 6th, 2007 at 11:29 am“At the end of the day, Chris, Iraq is not about a civil war. Iraq is about al Qaeda…”
I’ll say Mr. Boner is out of touch. al Qaeda fighters are around 5% of the people fighting in Iraq and responsible for maybe 10% of the deaths in Iraq. The remainder of the fighters and deaths are Iraqi’s in a Civil War. Anyone with a brain and an IQ not in the double digits knows what is going on in Iraq. The sad thing is that we created this mess and I really feel bad about abandoning them to this mess. If the Iraqi’s were showing any inclination to settle their differences, I would say that we should stay. But, since they are not in the least interested in settling their differences, there is no reason for us to stay. We are just making their situation much worse. They hate each other (Sunnis and Shias) and they hate us. It’s time for us to get out of there and let them figure it out for themselves. Everyone says that chaos will rein if we leave, but chaos is already reining. If feel that if we leave (kind of like getting that rock out of your shoe), they will settle down and figure out what they want to do with their government. And I firmly believe the first thing they will do when we are gone is to kick al Qaeda out of their country. The Iraqi’s don’t like al Qaeda any more than they like us.
May 6th, 2007 at 11:30 amCaption:
“I have a small package”
May 6th, 2007 at 11:30 am#3 - zooey - I agree whole heartedly - perhaps the boner has a new business in packaging bodys or something… *sigh* - idiots - they didn’t learn from the school yard, and now they’re in control. (I would love just an hour or two with some of these top “officials” to slap them silly)
May 6th, 2007 at 11:30 amOh my god, the carnage of the small packaging business….
F*ck off, Boner.
Comment by Zooey — May 6, 2007 @ 11:26 am
Zooey, only you would understand the terror of styrofoam popcorn. You go girl.
May 6th, 2007 at 11:31 amKeep on spouting words of wisdom like that John. I, for one, am counting on you as minority leader to lead your party off the cliff! The American people are just not that gullible, except for perhaps those 28% that think Bush is doing a good job. The more you keep lying to the American public, the less likely Republicans will have much to offer come the elections in 2008. The fear factor failed in 2006, so please continue with your Iraq policy since the Republican party wants to own this ugly civil war. Last time I checked, it takes more than 28% to win an election. Keep up the good work, John.
May 6th, 2007 at 11:33 amThis stupid son of a bitch should be in jail…and he needs a new hairdo.
May 6th, 2007 at 11:34 amCol. Michael Steele ordered his soldiers to “kill all military age malesâ€.
Six US soldiers have been charged with gang raping a 14 year old Iraqi girl then murdering her, and her 5-year old sister and her parents.
The four soldiers — Pfc. Corey R. Clagett, Spc. William B. Hunsaker, Staff Sgt. Raymond L. Girouard and Spc. Juston R. Graber have been accused of killing blindfolded Iraqi detainees for sport.
Lining up unarmed civilians and shooting them execution style, just as the Nazis did.
Falluja
American soldiers used napalm in the attack on Fallujah
mustard gas: even Hitler refused to use this.
nerve gas: even Hitler refused to use this. On 2005-03-01, Dr. Khalid ash-Shaykhli of Iraq’s Ministry of Health made the revelation at a Baghdad press conference:
Killing 2/3 of the people in Fallujah. Not even Hitler was that ruthless.
According to the prestigious medical journal Lancet, American soldiers killed over 100,000 civilians,
most of them children.
American soldiers sexually abused prisoners at Abu Ghraib.
American soldiers raped children, both male and female.
American soldiers are issued candy that they hand out to Iraqi children to attract them to form a human shield.
American soldiers cut off water supplies, bombed electric plants and sewage plants causing epidemics of cholera, dysentery and typhus.
American soldiers have forbidden Iraqi farmers to grow anything unless they buy the seed containing terminator genes (to make the seed sterile) from American companies such as Monsanto.
Bush bombed the water treatment plant in Basra in order to kill children.
Dropped three precision bombs “by accident†on Iran. They claim these thing are accurate to the foot, but they could not even get the right country three times.
Dropped five precision bombs “by accident†on Syria 300 miles away from Baghdad. Strangely, no bombs at all fell “by accident†on Israel which is 200 miles from Iraq.
Sent a missile into a Kuwait shopping center.
Bombed Children’s Hospital in Rutbah.
On 2003-04-02 US aircraft hit a Red Crescent maternity hospital in Baghdad,
May 6th, 2007 at 11:39 amtoo bad this golf goof isn’t still in the small package business and somebody with a functioning brain were in his place in congress.
May 6th, 2007 at 11:40 amWell Mr. Bahhhhner,
” It is not a civil war. There is some sectarian violence between the Sunni and Shia, most of it being stirred up by the Iranians.
But it’s Al Qaida and their affiliates who have made Iraq the central front in their war with us. And we have to remember they started this, not us.”
First we blamed Iraq for everything Al Qaida was responsible for so we could invade Iraq. And now that we’ve opened Pandora’s Box in Iraq, let’s blame Iran for all the problems we caused so that we can go create a disaster over there.
It’s obvious you Republicans can’t find a way to scapegoat the Democrats for all the trouble you’ve gotten us into so you’re just going to keep digging deeper holes.
Keep waiting for the Rapture, satan will be waiting.
May 6th, 2007 at 11:42 amthat analogy to his business; thats sounds like an admission that he is taking bribes or coming up with money to run his small business in a questionable manner. having to run one myself, if there isn’t enough money, you don’t go on as normal. unless you have someone you can steal from?
this shows someone that either doesn’t know business, or someone that never actually run one. there aren’t any intermediate things to say about a statement so absurd
May 6th, 2007 at 11:45 am“I owned a small business. I have benchmarks every month, but if I didn’t meet the benchmarks and if I missed the profit margin, I didn’t shut down the business. I didn’t yank the funds and close up the door.â€
May 6th, 2007 at 11:46 amYeah and if that small business didn’t meet the benchmarks and if I missed the profit margin there would be real changes that analogy was really bad.
More of the greatest hits of John Boehner:
“We will embolden terrorists in every corner in the world. We will give Iran free access to the Middle East. And who doesn’t believe the terrorists will just follow our troops home?”
House Minority Leader John Boehner, (R-OH), February 13, 2007.
“Rumsfeld is the best thing that’s happened to the Pentagon in 25 years.”
House Majority Leader John Boehner, (R-OH), October 29, 2006.
“I wonder if [Democrats] they’re more interested in protecting the terrorists than protecting the American people.”
House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), September 12, 2006.
“He [Delay] has served our nation with integrity and honor.”
May 6th, 2007 at 11:47 amHouse Majority Leader John Boehner, (R-OH), April 4, 2006.
Comment by Baboo — May 6, 2007 @ 11:39 am
Uh, Baboo, do you have a link for these incidents or are you just planting troll lies to link to neocon sites to show what lunatics progressives are?
May 6th, 2007 at 11:47 amBoehner and the GOP have nothing for America and his “small business” nonsense is just more proof of that. He is finding it more and more difficult to continue propping up and unpopular President who is trying to escalate an upopular war. Boehner and the GOP know this Iraqi fiasco is the end of the Republican Party.
May 6th, 2007 at 11:48 amOver and over Bush and the Republican neocons have brought attention to the world how weak and inaffective our military can be without great leadership.
May 6th, 2007 at 11:49 amBush and Chaney are the best examples of extremely poor leaders..domestic and military. This emboldens our enemies everywhere they exist in the world. We can’t wait any longer for changes.
http://mindprod.com/ politics/ iraqatrocities.html#ATROCITIES
May 6th, 2007 at 11:49 amRun a business? Close the doors? Take a look at his “business”: http://nucitesales.com/ - it’s a one-man operation run from his home:
http://http://www.zillow.com/ HomeDetails.htm?zprop=34380024 - probably in the two-car garage.
It’s not like he’s the CEO of General Motors - he started working there while in college and has since “grown” it to fit inside his own house - a financial genius!
Somehow, he declared Major assets in 2005: Stock, pensions and profit sharing from Nucite Sales - $1.1 million-$2.25 million.
Look like a laundering operation to you?
May 6th, 2007 at 11:54 amMore proof that the GOP is out of touch with the average person. The working stiff understands ‘benchmarks’.
What happens if you don’t meet the ‘benchmark’ of getting to work on time?
What happens if you don’t meet the ‘benchmark’ of making a loan payment on time?
What happens if you don’t meet the ‘benchmark’ of paying the light bill on time?
Benchmark: This gets done, by this date, or this happens. What’s so hard to understand.
SLC Mayor Rocky Anderson Kicks Sean Hannity’s a$$
May 6th, 2007 at 11:56 amIs it just me, or is this guy really, really, REALLY stupid?
May 6th, 2007 at 11:57 amGood post’s all, I realy like Lady Z’s and kasinca…I agree…Blessings all…
Real busy yesterday and this morning with the resort…Cold and grey in Wahington.
May 6th, 2007 at 11:58 amWhy is it, that this guy reminds me so strongly of Forest Gump?
Its like he is going through a list of the things Tom Hanks rejected until the “Box of chocolates” quote.
May 6th, 2007 at 11:59 amAny trout fishing at the resort, Sharon?
May 6th, 2007 at 12:02 pmSorry to be OT but this needs to be seen…
I hadn’t heard about this at all and have only seen it posted at Crooks & Liars.
Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson debate Fox Noise’s Sean Hannity a couple nights ago. Below is a link to the Google Video post. The quality is poor but Mayor Anderson’s case for impeachment really spells out the particulars. The audience is very pro-Hannity. It was posted that he gave out tickets on his radio show for weeks prior to the event. However after a few minutes of Anderson listing crime after crime of the Bush administration the Hannites are silenced.
When Hannity’s turn comes it takes him all of 15 seconds to begin making personal attacks against Anderson.
http://video.google.com/ videoplay?docid=6153683903005498978
May 6th, 2007 at 12:07 pmBack at ya Raven, sorry off topic all..Fish and game stocked 1744 1-1/2 pound and bigger triploid trout..They are steril and grow fast..I would put in regular but I don’t get to make the choice…Our little lake has up to 12 pound wide mouth bass, croppy, blue gill, trout,perch and brown channell cat fish..Open all year. It’s only 120 acres..How’s it going Raven.?
Thank’s for the link and good post’s Nevada blue…Blessings all
May 6th, 2007 at 12:16 pmThanks Sharon, cold and wet here as well, snow on the peaks above 8,000 feet. Waiting for the snows to leave the roads up into the trout streams in Colorado.
May 6th, 2007 at 12:22 pmRaven and Nevada Blue, caught some of the biggest and best brown trout in northern Nevada year’s ago from small stream’s there..Ot, sorry…Blessings..
May 6th, 2007 at 12:32 pm“I didn’t shut down the business. I didn’t yank the funds and close up the door.â€
was anyone dying from your business, A-hole?
May 6th, 2007 at 12:33 pmEver catch anything trolling?
((;)
May 6th, 2007 at 12:42 pmThe problem with his analogy is that, as the OWNER of the business, he can’t “quit”, but if Boehner’s EMPLOYEE failed to deliver a crucial report on time, there’d be consequences.
Same with Iraq. So we “measure progress with benchmarks”. And when the fail, what then? Do we just move the goalposts?
(”I DARE you to cross this line!” Bad guy steps forward. “Okay, THIS line!”)
May 6th, 2007 at 12:42 pm.
Forget that he’s talking about the war for a second and just think about his business sense. If a business is consistently not making a profit and keeps missing benchmarks necessary for profitability, only an idiot would keep putting money into it. He’s using an analogy that doesn’t even work on it’s face, let alone when being used to justify a war.
May 6th, 2007 at 12:44 pmPerhaps Boehner is right… with a little modification. Iraq is like his “package”. His “package” is small-minded. Women say his “package” is poorly executed and doesn’t function well. His “package” can’t see the light of day without someone screaming and running for cover.
May 6th, 2007 at 12:44 pmNevadaBlue
That man should be president. Why isn’t he?
May 6th, 2007 at 12:45 pmWhat Boehner fails to point out is that there is a “breaking point” in every venture - the law of diminishing returns when it’s essential to “cut one’s losses” and fold up shop. We reached THIS benchmark long ago in Iraq and everything subsequent to that is putting us deeper into the red. Eventually, we’ll be so far in debt (and murdered soldiers of our own) that this country will be swallowed up in what AQ calls the “trap”.
We’re hoist on our own pitard right now. The definition of “insanity” is to keep repeating the same mistake expecting a different outcome! It wasn’t working at the outset and, regardless of how much money and people we throw at the situation, it can never work because it was doomed to failure from the beginning.
The only question left is whether we desire to have this “doomed war” become the “doom of the united states”?????
May 6th, 2007 at 12:46 pmBoehner is not president because he is a known pedophile and a pedophile enabler as we’ve seen in the Page Program. He’s a loser and everyone knows it.
May 6th, 2007 at 12:46 pmWill someone please bring charges soon against this flapping idiot mouth regarding the Foley Incident and his continued enabling (along with Fat Hasturd) of the pedophilia within that program?
May 6th, 2007 at 12:48 pmYou know what, I am about fed the F@#% up with these Repuppetcans getting away with saying BS like this every week and NOONE having the guts to stand up to them. These idiots just lost an election a few months ago because people were tired of their lies, greed, complacency, incompotence, ignorance and just plain stupidity. But no 28-29% of you idiots still hold on to these bastards every word, and it’s time to start exposing the 29% er’s.
I did not run my platoon like a small packaging company MR. Boehner, I ran it like the top notch fighting unit that it was and still is, and my Soldiers that were killed, maimed, and injured, were not destined for that because of some hiccup in the supply system not delivering the plastics on time, but by some mindless more loyal to a person than to the country politicians like yourself who can’t seem to see that this war is draining US.
I say US, not YOU, or WE, because I dont see YOU or the WE’s when WE’RE dodging bullets, RPG’s, and IED’s, but I see YOU and those like YOU who hide behind THE TROOPS, on tv every week talking about things YOU know nothing about. And who the hell are these TROOPS YOU and the rest of the 29% er’s pretend to support. Are they the ones who believe like YOU do, because THOSE asshat’s are few and far between, THEY are the ONES who get handpicked by FAUX, BSNBC, and cant see NN, to talk while those of US who really have something to say are ORDERED to stay away and not talk to the press. THOSE Soldier’s are the ignorants, the ones who were let in after the Army was FORCED to lower our standards because the 29%’er’s were sending their kids to college, overseas, D.C. as interns for the leaders of the 29% er’s, and not to the Army or Marines, but this is the greatest threat to OUR way of life, but the 29% er’s are not doing their part, they’re just cheerleading, not in the fight, just cheerleading.
While those of US who put our lives on the line everyday are snuck into the United States under the cover of darkness in OUR flag drapped coffins, made to stay in inadequate conditions while WE wait for OUR medical appointments, deploy to Iraq 2-3-4 (4 myself) times, the 29% er’s get to go on talk shows and talk about what WE need and how WE feel. YOU DON’T KNOW HOW WE FEEL!!! Because YOU haven’t asked anyone of US who will tell YOU the TRUTH, because it would fly in the face of all the BS that you feed the 29% er’s, ,the BS YOU need to keep you in power, and you have the nerve to say that some are playing politics, it’s all politics, but YOURS is bad politics, the politics that killed over 3300 Soldiers, Airman, Sailors, and Marines, because you were to loyal, scared, and stupid to stand up to 29% of the country.
I hope YOU all (the 29% er’s) live forever, because if YOU believe in a higher power, and most claim they do (even if the higher power THEY believe in is George Bush) YOUR afterlife is not gonna go like YOU think it is, and all of YOUR Halliburton, Bechtel, Blackwater, KBR, Shell, Mobil, Enron, Exxon, money will not be able to get YOU a good nights sleep.
RIP
SGT Stephen R. Sherman
C CO 1-5 IN (STRYKER)
KIA 3 Feb 2005
Mosul, Iraq
Or as the POTUS and the 29% er’s call him,,,,,,,,,,,,,comma #1462
May 6th, 2007 at 12:53 pmveritas
I was talking about Ross C Anderson. That man is better then any of the guys you have as nominees right now.
May 6th, 2007 at 12:58 pm26 - thanks for the link. Hannity came out like Don Rickles, then asked a litany of questions that were not addressed to the topic of the debate.
May 6th, 2007 at 1:10 pmWhen Hannity’s turn comes it takes him all of 15 seconds to begin making personal attacks against Anderson.
http://video.google.com/ videoplay?docid=6153683903005498978
Comment by NevadaBlue — May 6, 2007 @ 12:07
Thanks for the link. I only have one thing to say:
Rocky Anderson for President
May 6th, 2007 at 1:11 pmBoner was just confused,
He meant to apply his analogy to his wrong-headed vote for “No Child left Behind” disaster.
Then the analogy would make sense. JF
May 6th, 2007 at 1:12 pmEver catch anything trolling?
((;)
Comment by Raven — May 6, 2007 @ 12:42 pm
How about you Raven, any strippers I mean stripers? Any large mouths or small mouths? And which do you prefer?
May 6th, 2007 at 1:14 pmBoehner is all about talking points,all the time. That must be the Karl Rove script he gets from Bush. Iraq is all about Al-Qaida,Iraq is central point for terror. He offers nothing but fear. Same fear tactics and denial of the obvious Iraq civil. He even described a civil war scenario with Shiite and Sunni’s war right after he denied it.
May 6th, 2007 at 1:23 pm“That man should be president. Why isn’t he?
Comment by Bruce Gorton — May 6, 2007 @ 12:45 pm”
Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln couldn’t get elected in this country today. They would be seen as radical non-Christian Liberals (Lincoln was bi-sexual if not out-right gay, while Jefferson and Washington rejected Jesus).
It’s appalling what mess this country has become. I honestly never thought it would happen in my lifetime. Now, I am not sure we will recover.
May 6th, 2007 at 1:24 pmIf Iraq is like Boner’s small packaging plant, I’d love to see his Workers Comp bills.
May 6th, 2007 at 1:26 pmOh what a fantastic, smart businessman Boner must be. Gosh, would he close the doors to his business if it had lost $1,200,000,000,000.00 over four years?
That’s a lot of bubble-wrap! (F$#%ing dumb a$$).
May 6th, 2007 at 1:35 pm#41 .shane………
May 6th, 2007 at 1:38 pmI don’t much care for the warm water fish, pretty mooshy.
If I can’t climb to around 9 or 10 thousand feet, rappel down into an other wise inaccessible river canyon, and wait shivering until dawn to catch that first ice-cold trout, I’m not interested.
(I’m sincerely not making up a fish story for you…………………………….:)
Did Boehner say he had a small package?
May 6th, 2007 at 1:44 pmSorry - my bad - couldn’t resist.
LOL
May 6th, 2007 at 1:46 pmIn reading the posts I see more than one here noticed the same phrase about Boehner’s package. :)
unbelievable
The trouble with America today, is that you have let the rightwing cheapen you.
Cheap morality, which demands not so much moral behavior as slamming the behavior of others, has taken over and called itself Christianity.
In the sixties you had the concept of Free Love, and it has been cheapened into Free Sex. It had nothing to do with sex.
You had artists, musicians, writers who were unafraid to send a message, you had Bob Dylan. The right cheapened you down to Brittney Spears.
You had freedom, and now it has been cheapened into patriotism.
May 6th, 2007 at 2:00 pmIt’s appalling what mess this country has become. I honestly never thought it would happen in my lifetime. Now, I am not sure we will recover.
Comment by unbelievable — May 6, 2007 @ 1:24 pm
unb,
I am just finishing reading The Fundamentals of Extremism: The Christian Right in America. It is a must read if you wish to understand the total assault underway against democracy in the USA by so-called “God-fearing Christians.” A$$holes like Robertson, Falwell, Dobson, et.al. are fighting tooth-and-nail to make this country a Christian theocracy. They will be happy with nothing less unless stopped by rational, intelligent and dedicated citizens at every step of the way.
May 6th, 2007 at 2:01 pmWell said, Bruce Gorton
Patriotism has been corrupted from vigilance and attention, to ear buds and 3-D goggles at the video store.
May 6th, 2007 at 2:13 pmas ceo, boehner wouldn’t pull the funding if his business didn’t meet his own benchmarks? 100 to 1 that the investors would pull the funding if all he showed was losses.
May 6th, 2007 at 2:15 pm(I’m sincerely not making up a fish story for you…………………………….:)
Comment by Raven — May 6, 2007 @ 1:38 pm
Well my husband is obsessed with walleye. Also a cold water fish but I can’t see him climbing mountains to catch them. I love trout and would love to fish for them but Illinois doesn’t have a trout stream that I know of just some stocked Forest Preserves. My dream is to have a pontoon boat to bobber fish for panfish and mix margaritas on while he runs around hunting for walleye for our retirement.
BUT you ignored the important question, have you trolled for STRIPPERS?
May 6th, 2007 at 2:16 pmI don’t seem to be able to recall any memories of that, Shane, but there’s also a couple of Irish pubs in the windy city I can’t remember much about either………..:)
May 6th, 2007 at 2:20 pmWhen Boehner talks about his “small business” is that a euphemism?
May 6th, 2007 at 2:22 pm“The trouble with America today, is that you have let the rightwing cheapen you.”
Definitely. It’s why I as a liberal refuse to “turn the other cheek”. We see where that has gotten us.
Live and let live applies to those who reciprocate - not those who want to force you to be just like them.
“Cheap morality, which demands not so much moral behavior as slamming the behavior of others, has taken over and called itself Christianity.”
I find it ghastly that the more unethical the person, the louder they are about other people’s unethical behavior. Diversion tactics, I suppose?
“In the sixties you had the concept of Free Love, and it has been cheapened into Free Sex. It had nothing to do with sex.”
Well said!
“You had artists, musicians, writers who were unafraid to send a message, you had Bob Dylan. The right cheapened you down to Brittney Spears.”
How sadly true…
“You had freedom, and now it has been cheapened into patriotism.
Comment by Bruce Gorton — May 6, 2007 @ 2:00 pm”
So, now what? I’m afraid that as long as Christianity is used as the excuse for their behavior, these people will continue to get a pass on anything and everything they do. Just invoke Jesus and you’re as free as you want to behave as badly was you want - without criticism, because the First Amendment has also been cheapened by these people.
May 6th, 2007 at 2:30 pmHey there - nice to see you!
“I am just finishing reading The Fundamentals of Extremism: The Christian Right in America. It is a must read if you wish to understand the total assault underway against democracy in the USA by so-called “God-fearing Christians.†”
Cool, I was just getting ready to start looking for some new books to read. I’m about to finish my last stack. Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll check it out.
“A$$holes like Robertson, Falwell, Dobson, et.al. are fighting tooth-and-nail to make this country a Christian theocracy. They will be happy with nothing less unless stopped by rational, intelligent and dedicated citizens at every step of the way.
Comment by dixie blood — May 6, 2007 @ 2:01 pm”
As Bruce pointed out, they are winning.
You see how much people like you and I get told to stop pointing out the hypocrisy and violence in Christianity - because we’re told that we have to respect their belief system. I say not when their belief system is taking over this country and turning it into an uneducated theocracy.
It’s time for educated free thinkers to recognise that our country is being assaulted by the religious right, while they scream about the dangers of radical Islam, to divert from their covert activities.
I’m not big on conspiracy theories, but this is one where I see way too much evidence to deny. I agree with you. There’s an agenda. Pat Robertson even said so himself:
We at the Christian Coalition are raising an army who cares. We are training people to be effective — to be elected to school boards, to city councils, to state legislatures, and to key positions in political parties…. By the end of this decade, if we work and give and organize and train, THE CHRISTIAN COALITION WILL BE THE MOST POWERFUL POLITICAL ORGANIZATION IN AMERICA
– Pat Robertson, in a fundraising letter, July 4, 1991
If Christian people work together, they can succeed during this decade in winning back control of the institutions that have been taken from them over the past 70 years. Expect confrontations that will be not only unpleasant but at times physically bloody…. This decade will not be for the faint of heart, but the resolute. Institutions will be plunged into wrenching change. We will be living through one of the most tumultuous periods of human history. When it is over, I am convinced God’s people will emerge victorious.
May 6th, 2007 at 2:38 pm– Pat Robertson, Pat Robertson’s Perspective Oct-Nov 1992
“Patriotism has been corrupted from vigilance and attention, to ear buds and 3-D goggles at the video store.
Comment by Raven — May 6, 2007 @ 2:13 pm”
I asked my students if they pay attention to the news. Nope. Not at all. Not even interested.
But ask them about the latest rap songs, and boy, they can tell you everything you ever wanted to know.
These are 17 and 18 year olds who are officially adults, not schoolyard middle school children anymore. If they aren’t awaking up now - then when? And what is wrong with their parents? Mine used to watch the news, 60 Minutes, and get the Sunday paper each week - and include their children. I might disagree with my family’s general right of center view of the world, but atleast they have a view of the world… Sheesh.
May 6th, 2007 at 2:44 pmI caught Boehner and small package in the title and that was enough. Thanks
May 6th, 2007 at 2:51 pmCorporate consumer culture has got much of our society pretty well wired, and believing they have to be plugged in to survive.
May 6th, 2007 at 2:55 pmAnd it starts at a very early age.
I was photographer for the local school competition in New Mexico Robo-rave recently.
(Middle school and high school students build and program small ‘Lego” robots to follow a set course, called robo-rave)
The MC’s of the event turned the whole thing into a game show atmosphere, even to the extent of waving and throwing dollar bills to the audience to get them to cheer.
The backs of all the staff t-shirts read:
Todays Play is Tommorrows Pay
unbelievable
Now? You are on the right path.
Conservatism has done a lot of damage, it is easier to destroy then to build, but it has in its zeal to destroy everything liberalism stands for, destroyed the ground underneath its feet.
Use this time to organise, grow stronger and teach the truth.
Americans are now aware as they have not been for fourty years, of the lies in front of them. Make sure they do not forget.
Teach them how to spot the con-artist, teach them distrust, teach them to criticise. Don’t follow the Democrats blindly, and don’t believe your ancestors could save you were they around now, instead rely on yourselves.
Teach them that they are strong enough in and of themselves, to cope with anything, but also teach them that they can be wrong and it does nobody any good to silence the unbeliever, because the unbeliever can be right.
Teach them that faith in a god, or in themselves, is not enough. Faith must well founded, AND married to action.
And make them watch the Life of Brian.
May 6th, 2007 at 3:05 pmI’d agree that Boner has a small package.
May 6th, 2007 at 3:29 pmProbably the only business he ever really had a grasp of.
It always amazes me that right-wing so-called “good Christians” are so cavalier about killing lots and lots of people. At some point karma will catch up to these immoral bastards.
May 6th, 2007 at 4:48 pmAs Bruce pointed out, they are winning.
Comment by unbelievable — May 6, 2007 @ 2:38 pm
Nice to see you too!
So far the Christofacists are winning (Bruce is right) and that is unfortunate. However, if a coalition that includes a range of citizens from atheist to main-stream denominationalist (sp?) can be constructed/assembled then maybe we can take back our democracy. The problem is that mainstream Christians (the good folk out there) are very, very slow to take issue with other “so-called” Christian views that are extreme for fear of being lumped with the “enemy” and driven from their flock as a “god hatin’ liberul.”
May 6th, 2007 at 5:06 pm“Atrios notes that Boehner extended his recently-expired 60-90 day deadline for Iraq progress “three to four months.â€
It’s interesting to note that Boehner continues to use the Friedman Unit to set a deadline.
For those unfamiliar with the complexity of the FU, it’s flexible. Runs from 3 months to 12 months, but favors 6 months.
May 6th, 2007 at 5:09 pmRahm Emanuel - in response to Congressman John Boehner’s newly announced timetable on Iraq and President Bush’s escalation of troops into Iraq:
“It’s clear Congressman Boehner’s new timetable for Iraq has less to do with the troops coming home, and has everything to do with his fear that House Republicans will be sent home.”
May 6th, 2007 at 6:16 pmno wonder this fool is house MINORITY leader employing faulty “logic” like that. he’s 100% right, if a business doesn’t meet it’s benchmarks after about a year, the owner doesn’t have to close up shop, it’s already been done for him. now what’s his excuse for a “business” that hasn’t made any benchmarks in four years? sounds like welfare to me, boner
May 6th, 2007 at 6:40 pmNotice how suddenly, the president mentions it over and over and now the Republicans in the House and Senate are saying the same thing as if they just got their instructions. “There’s no civil war in Iraq it’s Al Queda. We’re fighting Al Queda in Iraq. It’s Al Queda that’s keeping the National Government from functioning. It’s always been Al Queda, Al queda, Al queda”. God, they can’t say it enough. And then suddenly a video appears from Al Queda. It’s like Al Queda works for the Bush administration. They are still operating under the idea that if you repeat it often enough it makes it true. Everyone saying it can no longer be taken seriously on anything for they will lie about serious matters that are getting people killed just to save face. They demonstrate how little they care by discarding truth in favor of a talking point. Boehner is a sociopathic hypocrite. He has no conscience.
May 6th, 2007 at 7:08 pm#6. At what point would such a business merit closing, Mr. Boehner?
At what point would THE BANK (or your investors), cut you off and tell you, “We’re not bankrolling you any more”?
May 6th, 2007 at 7:10 pmEarlier on your program, you had — Senator Dodd talked about this being a civil war. It is not a civil war. There is some sectarian violence between the Sunni and Shia, most of it being stirred up by the Iranians.
Please stop these people, they are war mongers. This above statement is ludicrous. How much in denial do you have to be to say that. A total liar.
May 6th, 2007 at 7:17 pmThe only way because we can’t wait any longer…impeach Cheney and Bush now because they are still trying to find a way to have war with Iran that America will accept as illustrated by Boehner’s bonehead comment.
#37 Comment by 1 Day It Will All Be Over — May 6, 2007 @ 12:53 pm
Thanks for that wonderful post!
May 6th, 2007 at 8:29 pmGeez…do these guys have any decency?
May 6th, 2007 at 8:32 pm“Now? You are on the right path.”
Thanks. I really hope you’re right…
“Use this time to organise, grow stronger and teach the truth.”
Not everyone wants to hear the truth. I probably shouldn’t have, but when one of my students said, outside of class, that morality comes from Christianity, I asked him to explain why 15% of the nation is Atheistic, but only 0.2% of people in jail are Atheists. He didn’t know, and I left it alone after that - but just I hate to see the brightest students falling for the rightwing mind-control.
“Americans are now aware as they have not been for fourty years, of the lies in front of them. Make sure they do not forget.”
I think that’s the only positive to come out of the Bush Regime - this skepticism…
“Teach them how to spot the con-artist, teach them distrust, teach them to criticise. Don’t follow the Democrats blindly, and don’t believe your ancestors could save you were they around now, instead rely on yourselves.”
Good advice… But it isn’t always easy when you are the only voice who is opposing what everyone else is saying.
But I will say that I’ve got a few of the more racists ones now understanding that it isn’t someone’s skin color by which they should be judged, but their attitude and their actions…
“Teach them that they are strong enough in and of themselves, to cope with anything, but also teach them that they can be wrong and it does nobody any good to silence the unbeliever, because the unbeliever can be right.”
Agreed. Well said.
“Teach them that faith in a god, or in themselves, is not enough. Faith must well founded, AND married to action.”
I’m trying to do it subversively, because I can’t do it blatantly, but it’s like planting seeds and not knowing if anything will blossom or not.
“And make them watch the Life of Brian.
Comment by Bruce Gorton — May 6, 2007 @ 3:05 pm”
LOL… That would probably get me fired, while the raging Catholic preaches from her Art Class pulpit and gets away with it…
Thanks Bruce - you’ve always got great things to say. I appreciate your thoughts. :)
May 6th, 2007 at 8:37 pm“However, if a coalition that includes a range of citizens from atheist to main-stream denominationalist (sp?) can be constructed/assembled then maybe we can take back our democracy. ”
That’s brilliant. I like it.
I’ve discovered that if you out yourself as an Atheist to people you already know fairly well, they usually accept it. It’s the strangers who avoid you like the plague. So, maybe that’s a factor of consideration (it worked for the gays) - for the non-religious to show the tolerant Christians that we aren’t evil, until they come to accept us…
“The problem is that mainstream Christians (the good folk out there) are very, very slow to take issue with other “so-called†Christian views that are extreme for fear of being lumped with the “enemy†and driven from their flock as a “god hatin’ liberul.â€
Comment by dixie blood — May 6, 2007 @ 5:06 pm”
I’ve noticed that… Sad that the fear of alienation works so well. Too well…
May 6th, 2007 at 8:43 pmPretty soon Boehner will be up to a Friedman unit.
May 6th, 2007 at 9:41 pmHow many good months vs. bad months have there been in Iraq? If your little packaging supplies business had as many bad months as Iraq, you wouldn’t have to shut it down. It would just go bankrupt.
Bankrupt. So many similarities.
May 7th, 2007 at 2:06 amThis is pretty pathetic, Nico. Does it take too much intellectual honesty to recognize / admit that Boehner was comparing benchmarks (measuring progress, or lack thereof) versus arbitrary conditions? He was not comparing the Iraq war to managing a business. To say so one would have to be either intellectually lazy, or painfully determined to be recklessly partisan with even the smallest of matters. Take your pick.
May 7th, 2007 at 7:31 amWhat more could one possibly expect from a drunk?
May 7th, 2007 at 8:03 amJust the facts Al Queda in Iraq is less than 2 percent if that.
May 7th, 2007 at 10:11 amThe Cat