Yep, Trent Franks Is Still An Idiot

Trent Franks (sigh) is a Republican United States Congressman from my state (sigh) Arizona.

He is demonstrably an idiot, but that has never stopped, that will never stop the good, God (and everything else) fearing, abortion hating, members of his benighted district. The district includes one of those anti-septic enclaves full of old, retired, reactionary fuckers built by Del "Why yes, I did make a lot of money building casinos for the Mob. What are you inferring?" Webb. When Pete Townshend wrote "hope I die before I get old" these were exactly the kind of old people he was afraid of becoming...but I digress.

The fact that Trent is a couple of chromosomes shy of a full load is apparent to anyone who has ever seen a picture of Trent. I don't know what you call them now, but my grandmother used to call them mongoloids.

But no matter. Like Louie "Yes, I really am this stupid" Gohmert, who is his equal as an intellect and statesman, Franks is in the US Congress and you aren't. So there, loser!

Trent's latest, uh, faux pas, which is French for "every time Trent Franks opens his mouth", is his urgent warning that terrorists will smuggle atomic bombs in bales of marijuana.

Let that sink in for a minute and get back to me...

PS Remember the "you lie!" guy? Well, I've got 5 grand for the first member of Congress who yells "traitor" while the Liar in Chief is spewing. Consider it a contribution to their 2018 campaign.

What Has Senator John McCain Ever Done For The State Of Arizona?

(nothing)

(nada. zip. zilch.)

So, of course, he will be re-elected.

That's the way we roll out here...

One Question Above All Others

Since we know that the CIA doesn't answer to the President...not really.

And it doesn't answer to the Congress...at least not honestly.

Historically, whenever they're caught out, they lie and dissemble, promise to be better, and then pretty much continue doing what they want.

So, the obvious question is, who, or what does the CIA answer to?

This is kind of important to know, don't you think?

After all, they're running around the world, with an unlimited budget, doing someone's bidding.

And all the while making enemies for the rest of us.

On The Efficacy Of Prayer

Another school shooting?

Ho hum.

Nothing can be done.

They're sort of like an Act of God, you know?

Sorry.

Did I say nothing?

That's not entirely true. All of those Second Amendment worshiping, NRA bought and paid for gun lovers in our blessed Congress will pray for the victims.

It's the least they can do. Literally.

I remember something a cousin of mine said when her step father was on his death bed: "We prayed and we prayed and we prayed for him..."

And he still died. Oh well.

By now, it should be obvious to everyone but the dullest among us that when you pray you are only talking to yourself.

So when you pray for the victims and their families after the next "unpreventable" gun tragedy in our best of all possible countries, which will happen any minute now, you should ask yourself when you're going to wise up and do something substantive about it.

A True "Axis Of Evil"

How about this:

You've got the completely amoral corporations. Whose only goal is to make as much profit as they can in whatever way they can.

Then you've got the amoral corporations' bought and paid for Congressmen and judges. Who do what they're told to do, however detrimental to the nation it may be.

And finally, a militarized police force keeping the rabble in line. A force made up in large part by racists and sociopaths. By the way, the "rabble" includes most of us.

There's your All-American Axis Of Evil.

Works for me.

I Give Up

The other day I was walking into the local burrito/taco place, and there were two 20 somethings seated outside, happily smoking away.

You know, it's been, what 50 years or so, since we started realizing that smoking was really, really bad for you. Cancer, emphysema, all those fun things.

And yet, with all the medical evidence, not to mention all of the deaths, people still choose to smoke. Nobody puts a gun to their heads. They just do it.

A friend who has some experience with these sort of things told me many years ago that nicotine was harder to quit than heroin. OK. But people do quit both. Better to not start either, right?

Of course, it does take a certain amount of effort and willpower. More or less depending upon the person. Still, if you really want to do something, you will usually find a way to do it.

So if we really wanted to do something about the proliferation of guns in America, we would.

We'd get rid of all the politicians who are in the NRA's pocket. Every last one.

And we'd demand that their replacements do something. Not talk about doing something. Not join in the prayer vigils for all of the slaughtered innocents and wring their hands about the tragedy of it all. No.

DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

Then we'd laugh Wayne "A Gun Is A Tool And So Am I" LaPierre, and all the crazies who love guns more than life itself, right out of the public arena. Marginalize those halfwits.

But, of course, it's easier not to, so...

Oh, Okay Then

So let me see if I've got this straight:

The GOP doesn't like a certain law. Remember now, they are the "law and order" party. And this happens to be a law passed by both houses of Congress, signed by the President, and upheld by the Supreme Court.

Hell, we even had a national election that was in large part a referendum on this law.

But forget about all that. Because if the "law and order" party doesn't like a law, I mean really doesn't like a law, they are willing to shut down the government to show their displeasure.

Gosh, if only there were a way, in a representative democracy, to change laws...(Maybe even make them better? What a radical idea! Too bad those Founding Father guys weren't smart enough to put something like that in the Constitution.)

Of course, that would involve governing and compromise, and we all know how the GOP feels about government. To a true blue Tea Party Republican compromise means "give me everything I want--or else."

So, there really is no option other than having what amounts to an infantile temper tantrum.

I guess this is just another example of that famous American exceptionalism.

Arizona Roundup

Where to begin?

First, you've got the good folks running Prescott who don't think they should have to pay benefits to the survivors of all of the dead fire fighting "Hot Shots", because well, you know, some of the dead were part-time employees. They are, however, full-time dead.

These same good folks also want the hated Feds to pony up some FEMA dough to rebuild what was burnt down. The Feds said, "uh, no", the first time, which caused some of our outstanding Congressional delegation to have a hissy fit. Even though many of our sterling Republican congressmen voted against aid for Hurricane Sandy victims. 'Cause, you know, if it happens to you it's "just one of those things" but if it happens to me it's "a tragedy of epic proportions". Besides, rebuilding Yarnell is much more important than rebuilding the Eastern seaboard. Any fool knows that.

And speaking of fools, down south, near the border with Mexico, some self styled vigilante Patriot, defending the homeland against the invasion of brown skin people, almost got in a shoot out with a real deputy. Who was, you know, defending the homeland against the invasion of brown skin people. There's a joke there, somewhere...

For the life of me, I don't know why there aren't a whole flock of reality shows set along the Arizona-Mexico border. Somebody at the networks is missing out on a sure thing. Heavily armed nitwits are always entertaining--at least from a distance. Sylvester Stallone's career is proof of that. Throw in a few Border Patrol guys, some drones, and maybe a sexy Latina or two, and you've got Must See TV!

LAW AND ORDER: SPECIAL ARIZONA UNIT

Rick Renzi, former US Congressman from Arizona's "whatever" district, (my benighted home state has been gerrymandered almost beyond recognition and certainly well beyond any form of common sense, so it's really hard to keep track of which district is which. For instance, Renzi's district included parts of northern Arizona and stretched down to the Straits of Magellan as well), has been found guilty by a federal jury on 17 out of 32 counts, including racketeering, conspiracy and extortion. The Triple Crown of political corruption, as it were.

Seems like he used his elected position to force certain land swaps that generated money so that one of the participants could pay back Renzi a very large sum. Which is, after all, why we have a Congress in the first place.

Naturally Renzi, who is apparently one of those "law and order" Republicans who don't believe that the "law" part of that formulation should apply to them personally, will appeal. To quote one of his defense team, "We are pleased that the jury acquitted Mr. Renzi on 15 counts. We are disappointed by every guilty verdict. We will continue to fight these charges..."

Well, at least as long as the money holds out...

Renzi's new defense should include the time tested "what's the use of having a place at the table if you can't enjoy the buffet?"

He might also want to simply throw himself on the mercy of the court. See, Renzi has 12 children.

That's right, 12. As in a dozen.

So the brother needs every single buck he can get his hands on. Legally or illegally.

Based on the number of little Renzi's running around, his team might also want to explore an insanity defense.