Category — Wingnuts

Tuesday morning, 5/27, Peter Roskam took a few minutes out of his busy schedule for one of his recurring appearances on WIND’s repugnant John and Cisco show to engage in a little Clinton-bashing. (You may recall Roskam’s recent appearance on the show when he insinuated that the Clinton’s would attempt to blackmail the super-delegates in order to win the nomination) I assume that spreading innuendo about his Congressional colleague is something that falls outside of his official duties and is part of his assigned role with the McCain campaign, but I can’t be certain. It was unclear whether he was calling from his Congressional office.

I have my own opinion about what he said but I’ll let you judge first. Here’s a transcript of the brief exchange, the first item of business in the call:

CISCO: “So as much as I hate being in a position where it sounds as though I’m defending Hillary, when you hear her bring up RFK and bring up how in the past party nominations have taken a lot longer certainly… and then people freak out over her using RFK, it kind of sounds like what she was getting at wasn’t all that bad.

ROSKAM: “Well I think it sort of…her problem is that…there is sort of a dark narrative about the Clintons right?”

CISCO: (sound of agreement)

ROSKAM: “There is these stories that follow them about not just being real aggressive towards…being aggressive towards being political opponents in the political sense but being REAL AGGRESSIVE toward political opponents and different operatives over the years. So when she invokes the assassination of Senator Kennedy it just kinda spotlights this feeling that a lot of people have about her…kinda that what won’t she do to get elected…and that’s…that’s why it just sounded bad.”

CISCO: “Because of the past history and people wonder is she bring that up just to plant the seed…”

ROSKAM: “Yeah. I mean it’s beginning to sound like a weird movie script doesn’t it? She’s kind of like the water skier after he goes down and just not letting go of the rope…

CISCO: “Being dragged through the water but not giving up…”

ROSKAM: “Yeah, that’s right. So it’s probably a two or three day story and it’ll end up going away…but I also think that it…it does highlight what a lot of people think about the Clintons…but obviously not going to that extent…but what won’t these people do to win this thing?”

What I hear is my Congressman, Peter Roskam, right wing radio code referring in code to the some of the accusations that have been fabricated out of whole cloth about the Clintons by members of Roskam’s own party (who is it that will really do anything to win?) - stories like those surounding the tragic suicide of Vince Foster - in an attempt to defeat Bill Clinton in the 1996 election. Roskam know’s his audience is familiar with this garbage - so all he has to do is ues words like “dark narrative” and “REAL AGGRESSIVE” to get that audience imagining all sorts of conspiracies behind Clinton’s remark the other day about the RFK assassination. I believe that Roskam knows exactly what he is doing and I think it is very sad that we have a man like him, devoid of conscience, representing us in the House.

Incidentally, this same show that Roskam is fond of appearing on, did a spot within the past few days mocking Senator Byrd for his display of grief on the Senate floor upon hearing that Senator Kennedy, his longtime friend and colleague, had been diagnosed with a brain tumor.

[Thanks to Champaign County Ohio Democrats for the heads up on this. ]

In 1791, the people of the United States amended their new Constitution to state that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”   They hoped to avoid the religious establishment and persecution that had existed under England’s rule.

Not long ago, Peter Roskam and 30 fellow religious extremists in Congress decided that the establishment clause of the Constitution did not apply to them and signed up as co-sponsors of H. Res. 598: Supporting the goals of the Ten Commandments Commission. The meat of the resolution is as follows:

Resolved, That the House of Representatives–
(1) supports the goals of the Ten Commandments Commission and recognizes the vital contributions of America’s tens of thousands of spiritual leaders, churches, synagogues, fellowships, ministries, and organizations participating in Ten Commandments Weekend; and
(2) congratulates the Ten Commandments Commission and all supporting spiritual leaders, churches, synagogues, fellowships, ministries, and organizations for their key role in promoting and ensuring recognition of the Ten Commandments as the cornerstone of Western law.

Ten Commandments Weekend came and went earlier in May without this piece of drivel ever having been voted on. It has gone, and will go, nowhere. It is important nevertheless, because it tell those of us who Peter Roskam represents in Congress that Roskam actually supports the establishment of Judeo-Christian religion by the United States government or, if not, has extremely poor judgement as a legislator. Roskam was alone among the Illinois delegation in supporting this resolution.

The mission of the Ten Commandments Commission, whose goals Roskam supports is a bit incoherent. Its web site proclaims that:

The Ten Commandments Commission was formed in the spring of 2005. The main purpose behind the organization was to create a global think tank with the world’s leaders who have already recognized the power behind the TCC…

…The focal point is the annual Ten Commandments Weekend that will be held on the first Sunday in May…

…Our objective is to have 5 million strong members/supporters and bring the Ten Commandments – Watchman United on the Wall message to every church and ministry in the nation…

…We are encouraging everyone to wear the Ten Commandments Pin that we have made available as a powerful display of unity and reverence for God’s holy word. The pin is available for $15.00 and is also a unique fundraising platform. The Ten Commandments pin is available in bulk orders (50 and more) to ministries at a cost of $7.50 each, plus shipping. Financial contributions by ministries and the sale of pins are the commission’s greatest sources of fundraising…

…We have designed ways to reach out to potential members by making it easy for them to SIGN OUR PETITION TO SUPPORT ISRAEL. By signing on the web people take a stand with Israel to support their fight against terrorism. It is also a petition to the US Administration not to abandon Israel but to stand up with her plight for freedom…

…One of the ways to increase awareness and urgency was to establish a weekend in which we can come together and celebrate God’s eternal moral law…

…WATCHMEN UNITED ON THE WALL” mission also includes: Efforts to help restore the futility of the depleted “Garden of Eden” through the regeneration of the land: rich, fertile soil in which to grow healthy, life-sustaining vegetation and livestock. This new breakthrough in organic soil conditioning was developed by a group of Believers and respected Agricultural Scientists. It uses a ‘Sustainable’ approach which focuses on maintaining the resources the Creator has given us, and not depleting them. The system in its early stages has already proven to revolutionize conventional agricultural methods to a more natural system that builds soil organic matter and humus levels, thus yielding a much greater quality and larger quantity of food products…

…TCC will become Watchmen for curricula being disseminated throughout American public high schools and colleges, specifically regarding the history of the Middle East and the current conflict that is biased toward Islamic interest. We recently discovered that huge sums of money had been given to US Universities by Saudi Arabia to write such curricula and foster research to substantiate their cause. It is TCC’s intent to stop this practice and insure that the curriculum being taught to our youth is accurate, truthful and balanced in the perspectives presented…

I think their mission statement needs a little work. Confused? Maybe this video from Ron Wexler, the TCC’s founder will help:

No, doesn’t help much. Would it be too much to ask that if our Congressman must support some wacko extremist organization, he at least choose one with a little message discipline.

The point is, this is all highly offensive to those of in Roskam’s district who are (1) sane and (2) do not to subscribe to the Judeo-Christian creed, and (3) support the Constitutional protection of freedom from established religion and (4) hope for a peaceful two-state solution in Palestine and not further conflagrations in the Middle East. Roskam owes us all an apology.

While I have your attention, can I interest you in my “My Congressman is an Idiot” stick pin. Only $15.00, $7.50 in bulk orders of 50 or more.

Peter Roskam appeared yesterday (4/29) on WIND’s loathsome John and Cisco in the Morning show. He came on ostensibly to talk about his plan to allow his constituents a crack at suggesting legislation (more on that later) but the conversation veered off into the topic of Obama’s present difficulties and Hillary’s chances. It was a group effort, but what Roskam essentially suggested, with John and Cisco;’s help, is that Bill and Hillary Clinton have dirt on the superdelegates and will use it if necessary to turn the tide Hillary’s way. The audio is at the above site. I have recorded it lest it disappear. Will put up a transcript when I have a little time. The comment appears in the second half of the clip.

I hate it that this slimy creep is, as he likes to put it, “my voice in Congress.”

So here’s the transcript of the exchange:

Cisco: “So Jeremiah Wright on the PR offensive… your guy John McCain must be… must be pretty happy with Reverend Wright’s PR offensive.”

Roskam: “You know its amazing… Politics 101 is when your opponents are melting down, get out of the way and… um… I think that… that is what is happening… um… and this drama and saga on the Democratic side of the aisle continues to amaze me and continues to defy logic.”

Cisco: “When you see this battle back and forth with the Dems and the fact that most everyone who’s looked at the numbers says Hillary really… really can’t win…there’s not really a shot of her becoming the nominee, short of a major meltdown… do you think she’s at a point where she realizes that but maybe its a scorched earth idea where het, if I can damage Obama enough so that McCain wins then I can run again in four years?”

Roskam: (with feigned indignation) “Oh Cisco, that is a very dark world view of the Clintons. What is it that animates that?”

Cisco: (laughing) “I know… where did that come from?”

Roskam: (laughs) You know I… there is a… I am one of these people that still thinks that there is a possibility that she comes up with the brass ring at the end of it all. And the pressure that’s on these superdelegates… can you imagine a superdelegate right now with a little bit of dirt under their finger nails… can you imagine what their life is like?

Cisco: Yeah, just some random elected official in Wisconsin or Iowa one whois mostly under the radar but could become nationally known if a certain tidbit is made public…

John: “Well the Clintons have a manila folder on every superdelegate, you know that. Some are thicker than others but they’re going to roll that stuff out as needed. Its soming sooner rather than later, to quote Bill Clinton himself.

Roskam: “Yeah these guys are used to winning and they’re not going to lose quietly, that’s for sure.”

The kind of tactic Roskam suggests is right out of the Republican playbook and just because Roskam is happy to use sleaze in his own campaigns doesn’t mean the Clintons will.

It is clear that Roskam won’t be wanting for work after he is defeated this fall. He clearly has an aptitude for the kind of right wing smear radio that John and Cisco produce.

Thanks to the blog That’s My Congress for letting us know how Peter Roskam is spending his time in Congress while the country collapses into recession.

Roskam and several of his fellow idiots have signed on as co-sponsors of H.R. 5821, Military Honor and Decency Act, a typically masterful piece of Roskam legislation designed to deprive our troops of that which might give healthy young people finding themselves far away from home some small degree of comfort and…er…relief.

The text of the bill is short and, I think, hilarious, so here it is:

A BILL

To amend title 10, United States Code, to close loopholes in the prohibition on the sale or rental of sexually explicit material on military installations.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Military Honor and Decency Act’.

SEC. 2. CLARIFICATION OF PROHIBITION ON SALE OR RENTAL OF SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL ON MILITARY INSTALLATIONS.

Section 2495b of title 10, United States Code, is amended–

(1) by re-designating subsections (c) and (d) as (d) and (e), respectively;

(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following new subsection:

`(c) Annual Review of Materials- At least annually, the Secretary of Defense shall review material that is not deemed to be sexually explicit to determine if such material should be deemed sexually explicit and thus prohibited by this section.’;

(3) in subsection (e) (as re-designated)–

(A) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:

`(1) The term `sexually explicit material’ means–

`(A) an audio recording, a film or video recording, or a print publication with visual depictions, produced in any medium, the principal theme of which depicts or describes nudity or sexual or excretory activities in a lascivious way; or

`(B) if the print publication is a periodical, it regularly features or gives prominence to nudity or sexual or excretory activities.’; and

(B) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:

`(3) The term `principal theme’ means a theme that is primary in importance, influence, attraction, or degree but not necessarily dominant relative to other themes in the material.

`(4) The term `lascivious’ means lewd or indecent and intended, designed, or given to elicit a sexual response.

`(5) The term `nudity’ means human genitals, pubic area, anus, anal cleft, or any part of the female breast below a horizontal line across the top of the areola with less than an opaque covering but does not include the exposure of the cleavage of the female breast exhibited by a dress, blouse, bathing suit, or other apparel.’.

The bill is stupid and offensive to our troops, who having put themselves in harms way to protect our sorry asses, should be trusted to make there own decisions in this regard.

I am rather fond of the idea of the Secretary of Defense being required to review all of this material. If we keep his mind on reading Penthouse letters, maybe it will forestall Bush’s next obscene war against Iran.

I’m a little bit behind the rest of the country in considering the sermon by Barack Obama’s former pastor Jeremiah Wright that some are using in an attempt to brand Obama himself as racist and in considering “The Speech” in which Obama responded to these critics and engage in a broader discussion about race in America.

Thanks to Austin Mayor for drawing my attention to the The Truth About Trinity United Church of Christ where I was able to hear the words of Pastor Wright in their true context. After listening to him at length today, I don’t find anything objectionable about his words at all. I’d have to say he was spot-on accurate. I am not a church-goer but listening to him made me kind of wish I’d been going to his. This man doesn’t pull any punches but he is by no means a racist. He simply speaks the truth about the injustice that persists in our society and our world and for that he gets branded as racist and anti-American by those with a vested interest in preserving the status quo.

After listening to Pastor Wright, I listened to Obama’s speech in its entirety. Though not particularly energizing, it was eloquent, and I thought he did a good job. I do have qualms though about the Obama wanting to distance himself from Wright and his sermon. I have been frustrated with Obama for not having taken on the Bush administration more vigorously since his election to the Senate. I feel the same frustration when I hear him reject Wright’s words, which were angry but true.

But perhaps this reticence of Obama to speak the unvarnished truth to power that frustrates me so much is what, in the end, may make him a great President. I favor Rev. Wright’s approach but a leader like Wright can never be President. We need men like Dr. Wright out there to challenge us, to tug at our collective conscience. But we need a President who will be President to all people, who will actually work to heal the division in this country and help us move forward, someone who actually IS “a uniter and not a divider”. I don’t how know anyone can listen to Barack Obama and not believe that he has that potential.

This kind of bullshit really pisses me off. Illinois Review has no shame, propagating this stuff the way they do.

They are trumpeting some supposed connection, which they never describe, between Barack Obama and Rashid Khalidi, an AMERICAN CITIZEN of Palestinian descent and the Edward Said Professor of Arab Studies at Columbia University.

Khalidi is an opponent of the invasion and occupation of Iraq and has defended the right of the Palestinian people to resist Israeli Occupation.

Well last time I checked, the Constitution of the United States permitted Americans to express ideas contrary to government policy and the Republican Party platform. Mr. Kkalidi’s ideas do not make him a terrorist nor do they make Obama one by some hypothetical association. And furthermore, I happen to agree with Khalidi on those points and that doesn’t make me a terrorist either.

This is modern-day McCarthyism and it is reprehensible. It also makes IR look totally ridiculous.