News Roundup for 7/24/09

Palin family moves out of the AK Governor's Mansion

-Headline of the day-
"Palin Favorability Rating Dips As She Nears Exit, Poll Finds."

Sunday is Governor Sarah's last day as Governor Sarah. After that, she'll be just Sarah, private citizen and average right wing nutjob. It seems like only yesterday that she was winking at the camera and smiling and sparkling and calling Barack Obama a terr'ist and making a complete ass of herself in interviews with Katie Couric. How time marches on.

We'll always remember Sarah as she was, which is unfortunate for her. Because "as she was" is as an amazingly unprepared lightweight with more opinion than knowledge, a kneejerk reactionary who might as well have been Rush Limbaugh in a spectacular gazillion-dollar designer outfit. As a result, a new Washington Post/ABC News poll finds that only 40% of Americans view her favorably. And we're pretty sure she's a dumby, too.

The report tells us that "57 percent of Americans say she does not understand complex issues" and that even Republicans are trending in this direction, as "nearly four in 10... now say she does not understand complex issues."

"I don't think that she is cut out to be on the national stage," said a McCain-Palin voter who's had more time to think about things. "I look at her education and her background and the way she carries herself and her [resignation] speech, and when you have someone who's out there saying 'You betcha' about 50 times, I don't think that's the person we want to have negotiating with other countries."

The poll also shows her as Republicans' third choice for 2012, behind Mike Huckabee and Mittens Romney. She's still beating Newt Gingrich, but no one other than Newt thinks he has a shot in hell anyway.

Enjoy your obscurity, Sarah. I know I will. (Washington Post)


-If you like pina coladas...-
...then the Republican party is for you! If you like to govern, then not so much.

According to the report, "Yesterday, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) took the unusual step of requesting the House clerk to read aloud a 55-page motion to recommit, a process that took over 40 minutes." Having effectively shut down the House of Representatives for the better part of an hour, Republicans left to meet some big-dollar donors at a party held by the chamber's orangest member, minority leader John Boehner. No word on how much money "Boehner's Beach Party" raised, but I'm sure it was worth shutting down the US government for.

For his part, the world's tallest Oompa-Loompa says it wasn't about tipping back cocktails with the deep pockets, it was a protest against Democrats for something or other -- say, socialism... yeah, that's it, socialism -- and that it just happened to fall during the 6:00 start time listed on the invites to the party. See, otherwise, it'd show just how seriously the GOP took their jobs -- which wouldn't be very.

Monday, Republicans plan to shut down the house so they can all go see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in protest of... Oh, let's say feminism... (Think Progress)


-No, not that John Adams-
This John Adams -- Ohio Republican John Adams -- is a dickweed. Adams is introducing a bill into the Ohio legislature that would make it a crime to get an abortion without the biological-father's consent. There's nothing to worry about here, since this exact sort of legislation has already been ruled unconstitutional. Even if it passes and is signed by the governor, it'll never be enforceable. It's just your typical doomed "red meat for the nutbars" bill, introduced to raise money for re-election. It's designed to go nowhere -- that's the whole point.

Still, you've got to wonder what he's thinking of, since the bill requires consent in every case. In fact, according to the report, "Adams told the [Daily Reporter newspaper] that, in cases when the mother does not know the identity of the father, the abortion would be prohibited." So, if you've been raped and the guy hasn't been caught yet, you're shit outta luck. Worse, if he has been caught, the rapist gets veto power over your abortion. Ditto for a child-molester.

What a worthless SOB this guy is, huh? As long as we're introducing legislation that's blatantly unconstitutional, I suggest someone introduce a bill allowing any woman to smack John Adams, Republican of Sidney, in the head with any heavy, blunt object within arm's reach on any day ending with a Y.

His consent would not be required. (Crooks and Liars)