Pawlenty Of Balls

I was at the Grand Opening for The Quarry golf course, at Giants Ridge. Hey, it was a lousy job, but: someone had to do it!
For those of you that play, you KNOW Giants Ridge is spectacular golf. For those of you that don’t, you’re just gonna have to trust me on this one. The night before ribbon cutting, the 19th Hole was packed. I’m standing with a buddy that grew up in Grand Rapids and Tom Rukavina, and we’re havin’ a great time; and we’re swappin’ jokes. Especially Jesse “The Mind” jokes. Now, before this night, I’d never met Tom Rukavina, but we’re all in a really good mood, so I tell him: “Say, Tom, I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but I listen to Jason Lewis and Garage Logic, and I have to tell you, you’re not nearly as big an asshole as they say you are!!!”

Now, those of you who have met Mr. Rukavina understand the joke; those that don’t, well, let’s just say Mr. Rukavina is “vertically challenged.”

Mr. Rukavina got the joke, and he laughed, ’cause it was a good joke!

Anyway, there was a LOT of laughin’ and joke tellin’ at the 19th, that night.

And the Governor was there, to cut the ribbon the next day, for the Grand Opening. After all, this course was financed by a state agency, the Iron Range Resource and Rehabilitation Board.

So, before cuttin’ the ribbon, T-Paw grabs the mic, and warms up the crowd. And he tells a joke, as T—Paw is wont to do! After all, he IS a funny guy. I didn’t tape this joke; never thought there’d be a need to. Couldn’t find it via google, either – apparently nobody else saw the need to. So, I’ll paraphrase:

“So, I’m getting’ ready this morning, to come play here. My aide says to me, ‘Hey, Governor, you ready to play? Got your clubs? A glove? Shoes? Balls – do you have enough balls?’ Let me tell all of you here, today – I’m a Republican, standin’ tall up here on the range: I got PLENTY of balls!!!”

 

Now, I don’t care who ya are; that’s a FUNNY joke! People were laughin’ their asses off!!!

Now, some might be goin’, right ‘round now: “Hey – sure that’s a good joke, but: what’s the ol’ TwoPutter’s point?”

Well, there’s two of ‘em! Here’s the first point: IT WAS A (CHENEY)IN’ JOKE.

Of course, with T-Paw, it also had the added benefit of being true. Because as everyone who has ever had to deal with the Governor knows, T-Paw owns a set. For instance, remember how T-Paw stood up to Bush The Lesser over pharmaceutical reimportation?

Just like IT WAS A (CHENEY)IN’ JOKE that the guy told at the Franken event.

And like T-Paw’s joke, Larry David’s joke also had the added benefit of being true: As I’ve often inferred, the “Smokescreen”, Norm Coleman, is NOT the proud owner of a set. Which is why I refer to him as ‘Norm “Smokescreen” Coleman, R=Lapdog’.

Here’s point numero dos: The second joke – based on the fact Smokescreen lacks a pair – has caused those wusses over at the GOP to get their panties in a wad. They’re wonderin’ just how the (cheney) a joke about “balls” could be funny. Not surprisingly, Brodkorb is weighin’ in, too; rippin’ Al Franken for laughin’ at the joke; a joke told at a private event. .

I wonder what GOPer Ron Carey’s response would be, if some reporter actually asked him for his opinion of T-Paw’s joke?

Would Carey have the balls to issue a press release, paraphrasing the one he just released?

###

“At a ritzy golf outing, funded by taxpayers, republiCon Governor Tim Pawlenty personally told a joke in language offensive to all Minnesotans. Pawlenty promised he would run a “Family Values” administration, but his coarse and vulgar language again shows why he lacks the maturity, temperament and judgment necessary to be the Governor of the Great State of Minnesota.”

###

 

Either the bootlickers are unaware T-Paw told a ballsy joke – probably told on the taxpayer’s dime! or – more likely – they’re doin’ the ol’ republiCon Shuffle, where they’re consistently inconsistent by ignoring it when THEY do it, but castin’ stones when democrats do it.

Either way, it doesn’t change the fact that Norm “Smokescreen” Coleman, R=Lapdog, doesn’t have a set of stones.

 

(originally published at MnBlue.com – http://www.mnblue.com/node/968 )

“Hey! Senator!! Go (cheney) yourself!!!”

OK, John Forbes Kerry shouldn’t have asked it, the way he did. That was dumb. Very dumb. But then again, I’m an old soldier, and that kind of salty language doesn’t bother me in the least. If salty language bothers you, dear gentle reader, stop reading, right now.

Kerry’s question was a good question; one that needed to be asked even though it should have been worded differently.

What am I referring to? John Forbes Kerry’s interview with Rolling Stone magazine, where – referring to Boy Blunder’s handling of The War Of Choice – John Forbes Kerry asked, and I quote:

“Did I expect George Bush to f— it up as badly as he did? I don’t think anybody did.”

 

And that IS true; who expected that Boy Blunder would create “The Mother Of All FUBARs?”

What John Forbes Kerry also didn’t expect was how the republiCon’s would respond.

After all, Boy Blunder repeatedly dropped the F-Bomb in his 1999 interview in Talk Magazine. Would Republicans rip Kerry for using the same word Bush did, just a couple of years earlier?

Of course not. “Republicans” wouldn’t do that; that would be “hypocritical.” But, today, GOP stands for GreedOverPrinciples, “Republicans” have been kicked out, and “republiCons” are the inmates running the asylum.

So when Kerry dropped the F-Bomb, republiCons went ballistic.

Drug Limpstick and the rest of the EchoChamberRadio gang jumped all over it; El Druggo started callin’ him “John F-ing Kerry.”

Andy Card, Boy Blunder’s Chief of Staff, was all over it, too. As reported on FauxNews.com:

“That’s beneath John Kerry,” the president’s chief of staff, Andrew Card, said in a televised interview.
“I’m very disappointed that he would use that kind of language,” Card said. “I’m hoping that he’s apologizing at least to himself, because that’s not the John Kerry that I know.”

 

WOW! In 1999, Boy blunder repeatedly drops the F-Bomb, no problemo. In late 2003, John F’ing Kerry drops the F-Bomb, BIG DEAL. With me so far?

In his duties as Vice President, Dick (cheney)in’ Cheney presides over the Senate. And one day, a few months after the republiCons jumped all over John F’ing Kerry, Dick (cheney)in’ Cheney was over at the senate. Now, two things notable happened at the Senate on this day: the Senate passed “The Defense Of Decency Act” which addressed indecent language on TV, and VPOTUS Dick (cheney)in’ Cheney told Senator Patrick Leahy, in the Senate:

“Hey! Senator!! Go F*** yourself!!!”

Or, as I like to say, to point out the blatant hypocrisy of republiCons:

“Hey! Senator!! Go (cheney) yourself!!!”

Asked about it on FauxNews, in addition saying it was “appropriate”, and that he “felt better afterwards”, Dick (cheney)in’ Cheney said, and here’s the whole quote:

CHENEY: Well, I think that a lot of my colleagues felt that what I had said badly needed to be said, that it was long overdue.

 

In that interview with Neil Cavuto, Dick (cheney)in’ Cheney also weasels out of breaking a rule by dropping the “(cheney)-bomb” in the senate, on the technicality that the senate wasn’t in session. Other places covered for Dick (cheney)in’ Cheney by noting that, technically, Cheney’s a member of the administration, so rules governing senator’s behavior in the senate, don’t apply to Dick (cheney)in’ Cheney. Hmmm…. republiCons citing “technicalities” to cover THEIR guy….who’da thunk?

Now, let’s revisit what Andy Card said when John F’ing Kerry dropped the “(cheney)-bomb”:

“That’s beneath John Kerry,” the president’s chief of staff, Andrew Card, said in a televised interview.
“I’m very disappointed that he would use that kind of language,” Card said. “I’m hoping that he’s apologizing at least to himself, because that’s not the John Kerry that I know.”

 

What was the official White House line on Dick (cheney)in’ Cheney droppin’ the “(cheney)-bomb”?

Zip. Nada. Crickets.

But, here’s what Dick (cheney)in’ Cheney’s spokesman said:

“Reserving the right to revise and extend my remarks, that doesn’t sound like language the vice president would use, but there was a frank exchange of views.”

 

republiCons count on people not remembering history, let alone recent events. IMNSHO, here’s why: “Those that forget the lessons of history, tend to vote republiCon.”

And it appears to me that our friends over at Minnesota Democrats Exposed know that, live that, and breathe that. Lately, they like to rip Al Franken as havin’ a potty-mouth, or some such silly shit like that.

You think the boys at MDE would criticize Dick (cheney)in’ Cheney for droppin’ the “(cheney)-bomb”? Or criticize Boy Blunder for when he did? Or, Wolfie, who went “(cheney)-bomb” ballistic this last spring?

Not on your (cheney)in’ life.

Which, of course, only goes to show, once again, why GOP now stands for GreedOverPrinciples, and in the GOP party, the inmates are running the asylum.

They’re in an uproar ’cause someone said Norm “Smokescreen” Coleman, R=Lapdog, lacks “balls.”

Gentle reader, let me tell you that from this veteran’s perspective, Norm “Smokescreen” Coleman, R=Lapdog, not only lacks balls; he lacks guts, he lacks spine, and he lacks honor.

 

(originally published at MnBlue.com – http://www.mnblue.com/node/949

republiConned On The Prairie

Eden Prairie’s a pretty nice place to live.  Good parks, good schools, and a decent football team to boot.

And Money Magazine gave us Prairie Dwellers a Top Ten ranking, for a whole bunch of reasons, including the above, and including sound fiscal planning in city government.
All this changed, last fall, in the 2006 elections.  Well, except for the football team.  They won state.  Again.  A republican endorsed mayor and republican endorsed council member won election, joining an incumbent republican endorsed council member, giving the republicans a  3 republican  to  2 nonpartisan  majority.

Not that the republican endorsed candidates ran on a “change” platform” – what’s to change? 
AFTER the election, we citizens come to find out, “philosophy” is to change.  The new republicans immediately started looking at the  “core function”  of government,  What might “core function”   entail, you might ask?
According to republican council member Brad Aho, and I quote:

“local governments should supply only those services that the private sector or other governmental agencies cannot and do not provide effectively.”

Tonight, the Eden Prairie Council is set to enact it’s budget, and what the republicans don’t consider “core value” are two employees:  one being the only Somali speaking city employee in a city that used to reach out to immigrants and now is home to a large Somali immigrant population, the other a Historic Preservation Specialist.

This clearly is in compliance with republican philosophy; these days – to republican thinking – employees are  “liabilities”, NOT  “assets” .

So, how true to their beliefs are these Eden Prairie republicans?  As you might guess, consistently inconsistent.  As republican Brad Aho clearly articulated, republicans believe city government should not be in businesses private business could and would be in.
Consider that Eden Prairie has three municipal liquor stores that generate about a million dollars in profits, profits that in large part fund the city’s parks..

One might think some entrepreneur might be willing to pay a going fee for a liquor license and relieve the city of the burden of running it’s liquor business, yes?

YOU BETCHA.  But then, how do you fund the parks, without raising taxes?
And repeatedly, the republicans have denied any intention to dump the liquor business, even while scheming to dump support for battered women, hungry people, teens at risk, seniors, and yes, city employees. 

The whole time, dedicated citizens have fought republican attempts to sell the debt-free Senior Center and city financial support for citizens, especially those most at risk.   Dedicated citizens have won some battles; some are yet to be decided.

Tonight dedicated citizens will watch the republican dominated city council make the final budgetary vote, with two people’s jobs hanging in the balance.

And for now, the republicans will hang on to the liquor stores; after all, if they sold them, they’d have to raise taxes to cover the loss of income from these stores. 

But, what will the republican dominated city council tell the two employees, if they vote to fire them this close to Christmas?
Well, the liquor stores made a million, so “let them eat park” is my guess…

(For a blog thread in the local paper,  ”The Eden Prairie News”, featuring  some bumpersticker rhetoric from republican Brad Aho, a post by The Mayor Who Would Be Judge”  –  Phil Young, and a couple of really  “nice”   rants by the republican party webmaster, link here –…
http://www.edenprairienews.com/node/3750

Oh, yeah – the ol’ TwoPutter has a comment or two there, too…
Oh, yeah, yeah – republican Peter Bozanich, the GOP SD42 webmaster, is the first republican official I’ve heard that has enough intellectual honesty to admit the republicans really do want to sell the municipal liquor stores..