Where’s the Outrage?

You can’t make this stuff up. If you did no one would buy it. So, Bob Allen republican representative who has introduced legislation to increase the penalties for public sex was arrested for soliciting an undercover cop in a men’s bathroom. Now, that would be bad enough BUT the family values republican had to put some icing on that cake. By the time that he got to the police station he had his story down.

“This was a pretty stocky black guy, and there was nothing but other black guys around in the park,” Allen, who is white, told police in a taped statement after his arrest. Allen said he feared he “was about to be a statistic” and would have said anything just to get away. (via the Orlando Sentinel)

Let’s see how could this situation be worst. First, you are a lawmaker for the party of Family Values. Secondly, you have these sexual needs that really go against your party’s values. Thirdly, you’re a racist. What else could help flush your career down the drain? Oh, you are state chairman for John McCain for president. That’s perfect.

The Daily Show has a GREAT take on this whole story.

 

 TDS - Rep. Bob Allen and his lip condition [5:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Domestic Issues, Party Politics, The Daily Show by ecthompson
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Why would somebody sue the Red Cross? That can’t be good for PR. Man, it is hot. Wal-Mart is taking money from our schools. I explain. I also chat with Constitutional Scholar Linda Monk, author of The Words we Live by. We discuss the relationship between Congress and the President. Congress clearly has the power to act more forcefully. I’m just waiting for them to use their power that was written into the constitution. I switch gears and chat with Michael Wilbon, sportswriter for the Washington Post and co-host of Pardon the Interruption on ESPN. We talk about a lot of stuff - Pacman Jones, Sergio, Tiger, NBA gambling, NBA finals, US soccer and more.  This is a great show. Enjoy.

 

 The Errington Thompson Show 8-11-07 [52:57m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Congress, Podcasts, Sports by ecthompson
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Many Elmo toys and several others from Fisher-Price and Mattel are being recalled because of lead in the paint. Nope, this isn’t a rebroadcast of a 1967 announcement. This is 2007. Welcome to a government that doesn’t believe in oversight. Bridge collapses in Minnesota. What can we expect that our government can do for us? We take a few calls.

Rough Cut.

 

 The Errington Thompson Show 8-4-07 [42:58m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Bush Administration, Podcasts by ecthompson
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Constitutional lawyer Bruce Fein is in the house.  He drew up the original articles of impeachment against Clinton now he believes that Bush also needs to be impeached in order to save our constitution.  I also call on Markos Moulitsas founder of the Daily Kos and co-author of Crashing the Gates.  We discuss the upcoming YearlyKos Convention.

 

 The Errington Thompson Show 7-28-07 [47:20m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Domestic Issues, Podcasts by ecthompson
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Bill Scher from Liberal Oasis is in the house.  We discuss Iraq and the failures of the Bush administration.  I follow that up with a dose of Joe Cirincione, nuclear expert and author of Bomb Scare - the history and future of nuclear weapons, from the Center for American Progress.  Joe and I discuss breakthroughs in North Korea and our nuclear stance with Iran and Russia.  Excellent show.

Rough cut.

 

 The Errington Thompson Show 7-21-07 [43:28m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Domestic Issues, Podcasts by ecthompson
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I talk with Brian Katulis, Middle East expert from the Center for American Progress.  Polling?  Who can you trust?  How do you read the numbers?  I speak with the guru of national polling for Quinnapiac University. 

Rough Cut.

 

 The Errington Thompson Show 07-14/07 [48:55m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Al Qaeda, Iraq, Podcasts by ecthompson
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I was wandering through Barnes and Nobles about a years or so ago.  I saw this book.  I’m not one who just picks up books and buys them but this book was different.  It was the Constitution.  I have read the constitution.  It is rather dry.  It is somewhat difficult to understand.  I can tell you that there are several passages that I wasn’t really that clear on the framers meant.  On the other hand, there are several passages that I thought were crystal clear.

In comes The Words We Live by: your annotated guide to the Constitution.  Ms. Monk breaks the constitution down by its parts.  She brings the Constitution alive by discussing passages that have been fought over for years.  She shows us why Congress has this power and why the president doesn’t have that power.

I highly recommend this book.

Tags: Books by ecthompson
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Rachel Maddow is the guest on Olbermann’s Countdown.  They discuss 27 years of tax cuts being the official policy of the government.  When politicians are saying that you should flush your money down the toilet rather than pay taxes, you have a problem.  I think that we can argue that many politicians have said that the government can’t be trusted to spend your money wisely.  Why is that?  Either we are electing con artists or something else is going on.  Maybe we need to be smarter in who we elect.  Whether it is Republican or Democrat we trend to vote for folks that look nice.  We vote for folks that have great hair and a strong jaw.  Are there no thoughtful bookworms with terminal acne?

We also need to figure out what we want from government.  If we want government to clean up natural disasters like Katrina and from that tornado in Kansas then we need to elect folks that can manage people and disasters.  I don’t know maybe someone from human resources who deal with people and their needs every day.  It might be that we shouldn’t continually elect lawyers.  I’m not saying that we need to exclude lawyers but maybe there are some other types of people who would look out for our interest better than lawyers.  What else do we want from our government?  Maintain the roads and bridges.  I think that almost everyone would agree with that.  Then we need money for these projects.  On the other hand, we need to stop paying for stupid pet projects.  Maybe we need to elect accountants to Capital Hill.  They may not be the greatest campaigners but they sure could squeeze a penny.

It is my opinion that we need to be better citizens.

 

 Countdown - taxes and policy [6:53m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Budget, Countdown by ecthompson
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