News Roundup for 8/27/10

Noted lazy bum

-Headline of the Day-
"Republican State Official Gets Fired Instead Of Resigning -- So He Can Collect Unemployment."

Unemployment benefits are the worst thing ever, because they keep lazy people from needing to get jobs! There are plenty of jobs out there, but shiftless hobos just don't want to work! Of course, this contradicts the "Obama's stimulus didn't create jobs!" argument, but who looks for consistency in Republican talking points? Not me, that's for sure.

And apparently not former Education Commissioner Bret Schundler, who got canned for "errors and misrepresentations" that cost New Jersey $400 million in "Race to the Top" money they would've got from an evil federal handout.

"Back in the day Brett Schundler was the rising star of the NJ GOP, making his mark as the uber-conservative Mayor heavily Democratic Jersey City," notes Josh Marshall. "He made his name in the 'cut every benefit cut every everything' wing of the party."

But things look different when you're the lazy vagrant out of work. According to the report, "Schundler preferred to be fired, rather than submit his resignation."

"I asked if they would mind writing a termination letter, instead of a resignation letter, because I do have a mortgage to pay, and I do have a daughter who's just started college," Schundler said. "And I, frankly, will need the unemployment insurance benefits until I find another job... And they said fine. They said sure." "They" being the also ultra-Republican Christie administration.

So there you go. Republicans rewarding the lazy with fat big gummint checks. Clearly, the terrorists have won. (Talking Points Memo)


-Crazy in love... and just plain crazy-
Providence, Rhode Island mayoral candidate Chris Young made minor news when he proposed to his now-fiance Kara Russo from the podium of a mayoral debate. Awww!

Cable news networks couldn't let something like that go, so they got Young and Russo to go on MSNBC to talk to Tom Roberts about the big "aw shucks" moment. It did not go well. Check out this here video, which I can't embed because Mediaite thinks they can dictate how wide my central column should be. A big "fuck you!" to Dan Abrams for that, by the way. Hope you're reading this Dan.

As you can see, Chris Young is crazier than a box of snakes. Worse, in addition to being insane, he's kind of a dick. Yeah, he's soft-spoken and all, but look at what a control freak he is with Kara -- he even wrote her a script. Of course, she blows her line (Pfft, women!) and he has to whisper it in her ear. He's like a cult leader who isn't very good at it. And I challenge anyone who knows who Chris Farley is to watch that clip and not have "I live in a van down by the river!" go through your mind at least once.

You know what should have tipped MSNBC off that this guy was a nut? A couple of backwater sites named "Google" and "YouTube." Here's Young's last TV interview before the MSNBC debacle:

Yay, double-video day! That was on the internets when they booked Young and Russo. Doesn't MSNBC have anyone to run a little background on their interviewees? Roberts was lucky the guy didn't show up with his band.

Anyway, I'm totally sure that Chris Young is going to be the Mayor of Providence. Because if there's one thing voters really like, it's a lunatic who won't shut the hell up about Jesus. Ask the Republican Party. (Mediaite, YouTube)


-Bonus HotD-
"Racists Need Funds to Give Terrorist a Viking Funeral."

This is the world we live in and it really is that stupid. (Hatewatch)