Fascism update

Our Occupy film series continues. Last night we saw the documentary COINTELPRO 101, which was pretty alarming stuff, even if you already know about a good deal about Cointelpro, as I do.

The extremely well-coordinated mowing-down of Occupy encampments, is especially chilling in light of the film.

As if the Patriot Act wasn't bad enough, fascists are now trying to outlaw picketing. The Bill of Rights is being flushed down the toilet. (The Bank of America doesn't like it, so it's history.)

Once upon a time in America, we can tell our grandchildren, there used to be this great thing called Free Speech.

~*~

As I stated in January, my talented consigliere, Gregg, was ticketed for carrying a sign that was "too big"--according to some arcane local ordinance. This will be at least a $135 fine, possibly more. He has asked for a jury trial.

Soon after this event, this blog comment is addressed to me:

Political signs are every bit as much a fashion accessory as a pair of cute shoes. Both get appreciated by people with similar taste (and either mocked or ignored by everyone else). There the similarity ends, however, because my cute shoes actually serve a functional purpose.

--and of course, as someone who has been physically threatened for carrying signs, I was completely dumbfounded by this comment. (I still am.) When was the last time she was fined for wearing cute shoes?

Once again, we are back to the disconnect I have described so many times... the (pseudo-radical) big-city kids not understanding (or caring) what it's like here at Tea Party Ground Zero.

And I don't know why they don't. Surely they realize that there IS a Ground Zero, somewhere? Well, this is IT. I live here. My incontrovertible proof is that this is Jim DeMint's old congressional district. This is where he got his start, before moving onto the Senate. Doesn't that tell you something? This is the home of Bob Jones University, which still requires chaperones and calf-length skirts, and disallows TV and movies for their students. Downstate is the annoying Congressman Joe Wilson, famous for yelling "You lie!" during the 2009 State of the Union address. Rick Santorum's campaign-manager described Greenville County as the most conservative county in the USA. I could go on, but I think you get the picture.

When some spoiled, lucky Yankee announces, oh, signs just are a fashion accessory, I would like to challenge them to come here and hold one for just one hour on Main Street. I'd love to see them break into tears.

But I think it's interesting that sign-carrying is going to be outlawed, just as the trendy kids have decided it means nothing. What a coincidence!

They talk the kids into being embarrassed by sign-carrying, so when it is finally outlawed, they will dutifully shrug. The mass media has done its job admirably, and the mass-media junkies nod in zombie-like unison.

"Sign-carrying is uncool!"--they bleat on cue. And now, there will be a law proclaiming so.

Ideas have consequences.

Chronicles of the redneck underground

After I saw this poster at Horizon, I seriously considered changing the name of my blog. And then I realized, I am just not up for that. I don't know what the entirety of the redneck underground is up to, just my little corner of it.

~*~

My senator, Lindsay Graham, claims to be against earmarks, and yet is currently agitating for the particular earmark that guarantees deepening of The Port of Charleston. Earmarks for me, but not for thee! Funny how that works.

Two South Carolina politicians are screwing the pooch on this one, notably Senator Jim DeMint (well duh) and Congressman Joe Wilson, rude screamer of epithets. If there are significant layoffs at the coast, let's hope the journalists get it right this time, and properly blame these two:

The S.C. congressional delegation, made up of U.S. House and Senate members from South Carolina, decided to make a push for the money in Obama’s budget by writing a unified letter, he said.

“We all got together, the delegation, we said we were all going to do a letter, the whole delegation was going to do a letter to the president, asking the president to put it in his budget,” [Congressman Jim] Clyburn said. “Now, there are eight members in the delegation. Two members in the delegation, I understand, refused to sign the letter.”

Clyburn said those two members were Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., and Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C.

Wilson, a Charleston Republican, did not specifically address the delegation’s letter when asked for a comment. He said that being from the Lowcountry, he fully understands the economic role of the Port of Charleston.

He understands, he just doesn't give a shit about any of the people actually WORKING there.

~*~

Things that make you go WTF: Republicans will provide state-sponsored birth control for horses, but not for women!

Gals, the trick is to figure out how to turn yourselves into horses.

~*~

If the situation in the Middle East is too volatile for you to easily keep up with, here is a great clickable map from the BBC. I've bookmarked it for easy access.

"Sit down and read. Educate yourself for the coming conflicts."--Mother Jones.

~*~

Greatest blog-name ever! And I totally flipped when I saw the banner, and knew I had to reproduce it here: FANBOY WIFE! :D

I love her comic-book tears and yes, I totally relate.

Question: Is there something odd about endless print-outs of back-issues of extinct comics? I seem to remember that once, I thought there was. But now? I have comics reproducing themselves in my guest room. The unexpected upside is that various young men I have worked with think I am cool for knowing the names of obscure superheroes.

Their future girlfriends/wives will cry comic book tears too!

~*~

Somebody made my day by posting the studio version of BOX OF RAIN. (happy, happy)

Box of Rain - Grateful Dead

The Talented Mr Greene

Not much time to write lately, for which I apologize. I will be a grandmother again in a matter of days, and I'm very busy and excited. (((grins delightedly)))

Sunday, I went for a hike and ended up sick as a dog. This is possibly another disturbing manifestation of weight loss and/or age, since I used to lap up the Carolina heat like some starved tropical flower... searing summer heat has always been something I've loved about the south. (Consequently, somewhat freaked out by my first episode of heat exhaustion.) It was in the high nineties, about 96 degrees when I came back inside around 3pm. I looked like I'd been doused in some mountain stream, I was sweating so much; terribly flushed, dizzy and had a monster-headache that lasted 8 whole hours.

No fun. No fun, my babe, no fun.

~*~

Alvin Greene, photo from... well, everywhere!



Blogging about the talented Mr Greene for the sake of several interested readers, as well as my man Mike, who wondered WHAT in the world is going on here in the South Carolina senate race. Yes, unlikely winner Alvin Greene is the man of the hour.

I didn't initially blog about this, since I didn't think I could add much to the comic proceedings.

Short version: A somewhat suspicious, taciturn person named Alvin Greene won the Democratic primary for Senate. A politician I respect (and there ain't many), Congressman Jim Clyburn, believes Greene is a "plant"--since nobody knows where he came from or where he got the money to pay the filing fee.

I tend to believe what Clyburn is saying, since he is in a better position than I am to figure out what is happening. Quoting above link:

"What is an unemployed guy doing paying $10,000 to run for the United States Senate? That just doesn't add up," Clyburn said of Greene, an unemployed military veteran who somehow came up with the $10,400 filing fee and decided to use it to mount an unlikely bid against conservative champion, Sen. Jim Demint. Greene ended up taking 59 percent of the vote despite his relative anonymity.

Clyburn went on to say that a U.S. attorney should examine the possibility that his limited campaign was improperly funded by outside political interests.

"I would hope the U.S. attorney down there would look at this," Clyburn said. "I think there's some federal laws being violated in this race...Somebody gave him that $10,000 and he who took it should be investigated, and he who gave it should be investigated."

The South Carolina Democratic party asked Greene to withdraw his Democratic nomination on Wednesday after it came out that he was facing a felony obscenity charge after allegedly showing inappropriate pictures to a college student last fall.

...

Clyburn gave an interview to Talking Points Memo later Thursday and pushed the issue further, saying that a potential probe by the U.S. Attorney's office should extend to two other African-American Democrats whom he believes may also be party impostors with ulterior motives.

"The party's choice in the 1st Congressional district lost. The party's choice for U.S. Senate lost. Sounds like a pattern to me," Clyburn told Talking Points Memo.

Apart from Greene, Clyburn alleged that Gregory Brown, who mounted an unsuccessful campaign against Clyburn for the 6th Congressional seat, and Ben Frasier, who triumphed over state Democratic party-backed candidate Robert Burton to become the nominee for the 1st Congressional district, were also plants.

Asked by Talking Points Memo about Clyburn's accusations, Burton campaign manager Ann Beser said that something was "radically wrong."

Am I worried that this man could win? Not at all. Are you kidding?

I have MET Jim DeMint, okay?

~*~

More links about the mysterious Mr Greene:

In South Carolina, Greene is mystery man despite winning Democratic Senate nod (Washington Post)

Was Joe Wilson’s Team Behind Alvin Greene? (Indigo Journal)

Who's Alvin Greene? State asks after vote (New York Times)

Group files complaint against mystery SC candidate (Charlotte Observer)

Alvin Greene, being there (Tommy's Table)

Bakari Kitwana on Alvin Greene (NewBlackMan)

Watchdog questions mysterious S.C. candidate Alvin Greene (USA TODAY)

~*~

My other favorite theory is that people thought they were voting for AL GREEN. (Well, I certainly would have!)

What about Bob?

Both photos of Bob Inglis were taken by me at the Town Hall Meeting in Travelers Rest, SC, August 18th.





I met Congressman Bob Inglis yesterday! Yes, I strode right up to him as he was lunching in my place of employment.

A woman in the restroom had remarked, rather bemused, Bob Inglis is sitting out there. I peeped out and lo and behold, there he was. I walked right up and introduced myself as a campaign worker for Ted Christian, LOL. Yes, I did!

He and his companion, whose name I have forgotten already (some GOP-heavy, one assumes, in suitably Republican threads), stood up (like gentleman, no kidding) and shook my hand. Such southern politeness and civility! Joe Wilson showing his ass is even more unbelievable in comparison. They were friendly and joking, even as I told them I never agreed with them. They were gracious, terribly likable and kind.

Wow, I thought, no wonder he gets elected.

It turns out that Inglis has read my blog, the profile of Ted linked on Christian for Congress. Considering Ted's mean Inglis-cartoon graphics, I was a little shocked (I certainly wouldn't watch mean cartoons of myself!), but of course, politicians have to check on the opposition. I don't think he read the Town Hall Meeting piece, and I didn't mention it. Okay, fell down on the blog motto there (Ain't Skeered), because I didn't want to be rude.

At the mention of Wilson, Inglis said to check out the before-and-after pictures of himself, sitting in front of Wilson during Obama's speech. Right after Wilson shouts, Inglis looks pained and brings his hand to his forehead. Obviously, a campaign set-piece of Inglis's, and very funny.

Unfortunately, the far-right Black Helicopter faction here in South Carolina is gunning for Inglis as they are (quite unsuccessfully) gunning for Senator Lindsey Graham. The big difference is that Graham can count on the whole state, and centrist Democrats will save him. Inglis has no such electoral cushion, here in hyper-Baptist, upstate-Bob Jones-land. The right wing in Greenville County is very, very solid and strong; Senator Jim Demint is their patron saint.

Inglis' real problem will be in the GOP primary, where the wingnuts will be out in force.

~*~

A few weeks ago, I met with Gregg Jocoy, Major Green Party dude, and talked about the possibility of running for office. YES! YOUR HUMBLE NARRATOR! I was thinking of something modest like County Council, School Bored (as the Yippies used to call it), one of those. The goal being, running for office gets the necessary concepts out there... and then we really don't care who uses the ideas or who takes up the banner for change. Whenever and however Green Party concepts (ecological/sustainability proposals) are presented to the mainstream, it can only be good. Green Party ideas, once regarded as total fringe, are gaining in popularity everywhere, even here.

Gregg assures me I could run under my blog name 'Daisy Deadhead'--in the same way football stars run under names like Biff and Tiger. I would, however, have to use my surname, which I think I could live with.

It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it.

However, there is the marginal possibility that I could actually get elected and have to do the job! Yow, that is rather daunting.

Here in upstate South Carolina, there are no educational requirements for any political office but sheriff (of all things)... this was dramatized back in 1996, when Debi Bush, a high-school dropout, was elected to the school board. (Under intense criticism and facing almost-national consternation, she very-publicly attained her G.E.D.) Well, I have a high-school diploma, certifications in lots of extinct computer-programs and, as Zonker Harris once said, I've been kicked out of some pretty good colleges!

Thinking it over. A fund-raiser with some rock bands would be fun, huh? :)

~*~

Who's to blame
When parties really get out of hand?
Who's to blame
When they get poorly planned?
Whooooo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoooo--oooooo?

Crashers get bombed
Slobs make a mess
Ya know sometimes
They'll even ruin your wife's dress
Crashers gettin bombed
Who's to blame?
Can you pull it back in line?
Can you salvage it in time?


(Green!) Party out of bounds - B-52s

Restating the negativeness of the universe

I hereby apologize to all of my very patient email correspondents. If you are wondering about my rudeness, I have not checked email in days; ON STRIKE against the email, which is threatening to colonize my soul. It's currently taking more of my time than mere blogging or Twitter, God help me. Trying to sort it out and make lists of priorities, blah blah blah. In the meantime, bear with me, yall!

How does the internet do this to us? Does everyone else feel the constant encroachment of ONLINE into "real life"--maybe the problem is that we divide our consciousness into these categories...do the kids manage their time better than we do? I think if you grow up communicating online, you learn to make time for it in a more natural way and can do it anywhere. The rest of us have to figure out how to integrate it fully.

Then again, maybe not. Maybe the kids are as frazzled as we are?

~*~

Photo of Jessica Lange at this year's Emmy awards by Dan Steinberg, Associated Press.



Reprinting my indignant comment over at Feministe (cross-posted to Echidne of the Snakes) ...which was brought about by THIS New York Times column by Maureen Dowd, and THIS endless thread at Huffington Post. (click on the latter at your own risk!)

Suddenly inflamed by cable-TV busybodies, I wrote:

The thing people are missing is the age component. The “research” (using word advisedly) at HuffPo suggests women are unhappier AS WE AGE. Probably because they will not stop fussing at us to look young, and have upped the ante. Now we are expected to diet, use botox and collagen and look good forever. This is impossible to achieve after a certain age without considerable anxiety and anguish. Women in past generations were never expected to be “matrons” and look hot.

Still shocked that one of those nasty “fashion” TV-round-ups criticized Jessica Lange for showing her old-lady arms at the Emmys. Never mind that she won! (They didn’t even fucking MENTION that!) But they did mention her (likely) plastic surgery, while sneering that her arms still look bad. Jesus Christ, she’s 64, has two Oscars… is there NO ESCAPE for ANYONE?

No matter how well-achieved a woman is, no matter that she has had her face stretched to the limit already, dammit, just look at those ARMS!

Infuriating.

Reprinting the comment here for EMPHASIS.

Infuriating!!

~*~

Speaking of infuriating, the much-beleaguered First Lady of South Carolina, Jenny Sanford, is writing a memoir:

Ballantine Books, an imprint of Random House Inc., said Tuesday it will publish Jenny Sanford's “inspirational memoir” in May 2010.

The publisher says Sanford “will grapple with the universal issue of maintaining integrity and a sense of self during life's difficult times.”

The book is currently untitled, and financial terms were not disclosed.

Mark Sanford was once a rising star in the Republican Party. He acknowledged in June that he had a yearlong affair with an Argentine woman he called his soul mate.

Jenny Sanford moved out of the governor's mansion in August, but she and her husband have said they're trying to repair their marriage.

Inspirational?

Oh, hell no.

Let's hope it isn't one of those unreadable, born-again "women's memoirs"--incessantly dotted with Bible verses. Or, worse, every emotion described is carefully catalogued with accompanying chapter and verse, so you know that even her most wayward thoughts are okay with Jesus.

Yes, I have been plied with a few of these in my time. They should NOT be confused with real memoirs.

Let's hope Jenny's account is a little better than the majority of these.

~*~

More in South Carolina fun-house news: My senator, Lindsey Graham, trashed Obama on the Sunday-morning talk shows as "being everywhere but the food channel"... which was admittedly funny. (Well, I toldya he was damned charming.) Meanwhile, he says he is ready to "compromise"--which could mean anything, coming from him.

On Saturday, downtown, I saw several Joe Wilson T-shirts and bumper stickers. Yeah, they LOOOOOVE him! CNN's Political Ticker reports that he has raised over $2 million on the strength of his ill-mannered temper tantrum.

Once more, I put out the SOS. Just in case you missed it the first time!

~*~

The title of today's post comes from the following clip... the reference to Play it Again Sam in yesterday's post, reminded me of this:



:D

"What's the matter with South Carolina?"

....is the title of an article by Politico. They mention Mark Sanford, Joe Wilson, Jim DeMint, and the whole Hee Haw gang:

South Carolina didn't always look like such hostile territory for Obama. He never had much hope of winning the state in the general election, but his decisive primary victory there in 2008 helped propel him to the Democratic presidential nomination. While he lost the state in November by nine percentage points to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), his performance nevertheless represented the best Democratic presidential showing in nearly three decades.

[...]

While the state has also elected loose-cannon Democrats like Sen. Fritz Hollings, whose seat DeMint won when Hollings retired in 2004, it's no accident that its high-profile politicians tend to be Republicans these days or that they don’t feel bound by the constraints felt by their colleagues in more politically competitive states.

"It has traditionally been a pretty deep-red state and I think that Republican politicians feel that there's not a limit to what they can do or say when it comes to Democratic elected officials, particularly the president," said former Democratic Gov. Jim Hodges, who was defeated by Sanford in 2002. "In most places, they play the sport of politics every two or four years. In South Carolina, they play it every year. It is more important than football, to some degree."

And here's my chance to answer the question. (I sure will.)

You wanna know what's wrong? How about the fact that the rest of the country has written us off and won't fund the insurgents? This is what happens. You are looking at the result of liberals being left HIGH AND DRY.

I'm sitting right here. My blog struggles... it might be the only progressive blog in the upstate. I know for a fact it isn't the only one in the whole state--but there aren't many. Support? Hello? I almost ran for the Green Party candidacy (for Congress) some years ago, but realized I could not afford it, especially if it meant taking significant time away from my job. Anybody home?

We have been left twisting slowly, slowly in the wind.

I constantly hear and read about how the national parties and various progressive organizations fund actions, bloggers and activities in affluent, liberal areas. Why? They ain't the ones that need the money, people and accompanying resources, you know?

I have witnessed the rather amazing and ostentatious spectacle of both major parties invading my state repeatedly during the Democratic and Republican presidential primaries, throwing away more money than the Saudis. They inject obscene amounts of money into those campaigns, but as I said, will not fund the insurgents. WE DON'T EVEN HAVE AN AIR AMERICA RADIO STATION IN THE UPSTATE. (My repeated emails about that were totally ignored; I didn't even rate a reply. Thanks!) Basically, the answer from national progressives has been to ignore upstate South Carolina progressives "on the ground"--and please pay attention...THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS.

Understand, now?

We need resources, offices, money, support. We have a radio station that is dormant that could be put to use. We have people ready to work, and radical organizations already in place. I have mentioned countless groups on this blog. YOU HAVE IGNORED US. The rich Republicans have colonized the state, and have gained enormous power that they have taken nationally, to challenge progressive change. We might have put a considerable dent in their influence, but we have no way to do that. We have been hobbled by them at every turn; they run ALL the major media outlets. At the town hall meeting I attended, as I said, there was a total of three "out" progressives. The rest were silent, inside, unorganized. I know there had to be at least another three. That might have been enough for us to feel safe raising a sign or banner, making our presence known to others and starting a necessary dialogue with local moderates. AND we could have gotten ourselves on TV or radio. As it was, we were too afraid.

WE NEED HELP. SOS.

Just answering the question.

(((sigh)))

I certainly don't expect anything to change as a result of this blog post. It would involve modern-day privileged progressives getting off their spoiled asses and doing something gutsy, as progressives did back in the day of the Freedom Riders. It would take NERVE, and kids with privilege do not appear to have any nerve left, as they did during the Civil Rights and Anti-War movements. (In fact, we do not have any appreciable anti-war movement, do we?) We need people to move to the state; we need people to share their knowledge and liberal connections with us.

What's the matter is that you wrote us off, and the rich saw that you did. As a result, you gave them a whole state to play with.

How do you like the consequences?

Shocking news: Another politician embarrasses South Carolina

Congressman Joe Wilson, who undoubtedly embarrassed his southern mama with his bad manners last night.






As soon as I heard the heckler during President Obama's speech, I knew what state he was from.

I just knew, probably because of my recent town hall meeting experience.

I cringed, told Mr Daisy what I thought, Twittered OH NO (or something to that effect) and waited to be proven right. And I was. I am just grateful it wasn't Bob Inglis (far too polite to do that, even if in full ideological agreement with the heckler) or somebody closer to Greenville County.

But still: ANOTHER RIGHT WING EMBARRASSMENT FOR THE STATE. Ye Gods.

Politico writers Daniel Libit and Victoria McGrane:

On his Twitter feed Tuesday, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) wrote that at a parade he attended in Chapin, “many people called out to oppose Obamacare which I assured them would be relayed tomorrow to DC.”

It wasn’t quite the next day, but Wilson did indeed bring the August town hall boorishness to Washington when he shouted “you lie” at President Barack Obama during Wednesday night’s health care speech before Congress.

Within 15 minutes after Obama wrapped up his remarks, Wilson’s website server had crashed and his Wikipedia page had been locked on account of “vandalism.”

In an interview with CNN immediately after the president’s address, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) called Wilson’s behavior “totally disrespectful,” and joined a chorus of Democrats calling on the congressman to apologize.

Wilson’s office soon followed with a statement expressing regret for the outburst.

“This evening I let my emotions get the best of me when listening to the President’s remarks regarding the coverage of illegal immigrants in the health care bill,” Wilson said. “While I disagree with the President’s statement, my comments were inappropriate and regrettable. I extend sincere apologies to the President for this lack of civility.”

A short while later, Wilson’s office put out a notice that the congressman had called the White House to personally apologize. A Democratic source told POLITICO that White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel accepted the congressman’s apology.

This is not the first time the Wilson has stirred controversy with his remarks.

In 2004, Wilson was forced to do a similar walk-back when he challenged the patriotism to Rep. Bob Filner (D-Calif.), calling the Democrat “viscerally anti-American.”

That same year, Wilson grabbed headlines again when he called on Sen. John Kerry to apologize for testimony the Democratic presidential candidate and Vietnam veteran gave to a Senate panel in 1971 about the Vietnam War.

“Many veterans, including myself as a veteran,” Wilson said at the time, “view John Kerry’s testimony that day as one of the worst public slanders ever against the valor and character of the American military.”

That statement drew the rebuke of former Democratic senator and Vietnam veteran Max Cleland, who noted that Wilson had in fact avoided fighting in the war by receiving a student deferral.

As stated above, Wilson memorably shouted "You lie!" Apparently he believes this will get him re-elected.

Politico's Glenn Thrush writes:

All eyes were on Barack Obama entering Wednesday night's address to Congress, but a little-known South Carolina Republican may have done more than the president’s combative speech to unify besieged Democrats around health care reform.

The night's defining moment — which Democrats hope to transform into a turning point – came when Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) shouted "You lie!" as Obama claimed his plan wouldn't offer free care to illegal immigrants.

Wilson's boorishness — for which he quickly apologized — enraged audience members on both sides of the aisle.

It also overshadowed a speech that included some of Obama's harshest attacks on his GOP critics to date, including a denunciation of "death panel" alarmists as liars — a veiled swipe at Sarah Palin — and a warning to Republicans who want to "kill" reform.

Well, what did you think of the speech? Comments welcome on the speech, Obama, and ill-mannered Joe Wilson.