a note to dems, lefties, socialists, marxists, pinkos

Schadenfreude is not an electoral strategy. It is important to remember that we must have more than simply pointing our fingers and cackling with glee as the Republican Hindenburg goes up in flames. After too long some chickens have finally come home to roost for the Cons, and (to wildly mix metaphors) it's time to throw them an anchor. It's time to stop apologizing for believing that government can and should do good things for its citizens. It's time to point out that even on the frontier, no one stood alone. I like the image of a barn-raising. People showed up to help out even if they didn't particularly like the person whose barn was being built, because they knew that someday, they would need help, too. Right now, and thanks to the Cons, we have a situation in which everyone is saying, "You build your own fucking barn--I'll take the $300 tax cut." So we have a lot of fugly people who would rather go without a barn themselves than help their neighbor get one.

In other news, check out Through the Week in Feminine Dress, and examine your conscience and your closet, ladies.

Nero and Mad Max--Superdome

So, our lawmakers can authorize a kazillion dollars overnight to invade a sovereign nation. They can sign over our civil liberties in a split second. They can airlift food to Afghanistan. But they can't get food and water to dying, starving people in a completely demolished American city? They can't get National Guardsmen (oh, oops, I guess they're all providing security IN IRAQ to IRAQIS who FUCKING HATE US) to stop the drug addicts from looting hospitals and pharmacies? And as for the apparently widespread raping going on throughout the city and in the Superdome, hey, it's not cute little white girls, so who gives a fuck? One rich white chick goes missing in Aruba and we're all over THAT shit. We airlift the CIA in there to find out what really happened. Four days after the destruction of an American city, and we can't get a single boot on the ground? GodDAMN IT.

At least Condi has some nice goddamn fucking footwear(via Gawker):
Just moments ago at the Ferragamo on 5th Avenue, Condoleeza Rice was seen spending several thousands of dollars on some nice, new shoes (we’ve confirmed this, so her new heels will surely get coverage from the WaPo’s Robin Givhan). A fellow shopper, unable to fathom the absurdity of Rice’s timing, went up to the Secretary and reportedly shouted, “How dare you shop for shoes while thousands are dying and homeless!” Never one to have her fashion choices questioned, Rice had security PHYSICALLY REMOVE the woman.

And Dubya has his guitar. And Cheney is no doubt undergoing some android retrofit to make him capable of surviving underwater. And we've all got some cheap Nietzshean philosophy to get us through (and this hopeful thought--Bush on CNN--"We got a lot of rebuilding to do.... the good news is and it's hard for some to see it now but out of this chaos is going to come a fantastic gulf coast... out of the rubbles of Trent Lott's house -- the guy lost his entire house -- there's going to be fantastic house. I look forward to sitting on the porch. Out of New Orleans is going to come that great city again." Yeah, poor fucking Trent Lott, the racist millionaire, lost his house. But he hasn't given up hope, and neither should you, welfare mother!) What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, you know! After all, look how well your people did after slavery! Some of them can even afford Ferragamos!