Aww, Gingrich Campaign Fizzles: Top Aides Quit En Masse

The problem with Newt is he enjoys his own reflection too much.

From Denny: Would we expect any less from Gingrich? The guy can't stay married. The guy can't make a commitment in a campaign he is so busy flip-flopping, trying to figure out if he is a liberal conservative or a conservative hypocritical liberal. You decide.



Well, today a whole wolf pack of his top aides said "Goodbye and Good Riddance!" to the Newt. After all, any political strategist that wants the paychecks to keep rolling in would not bet on Newtie to make it past the first 30 days.

Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious and Odd: Jon Stewart: John Oliver Pokes Fun At The Royal Wedding of Kate and William

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Ouch Outrageous Obnoxious and Odd: Jon Stewart: John Oliver Pokes Fun At The Royal Wedding of Kate and William: "From Denny: Jon Stewart and John Oliver lampoon all the insane media coverage and excessive scrutiny over the royal wedding. No insufferable detail is left unturned. It turns out it's terribly important for the world to learn about how jelly molds are made for royal weddings. Listen to British comic John Oliver mock the craziness."

Funny Tax Season: Cartoons and Late Nite Jokes

From Denny: And, first, on the serious side this tax season, Beware the Scam Artists. There are those commercials assuring you how they can get you tax resolution if you owe back taxes. With all the job loss it's no wonder there are so many Americans struggling to pay their taxes.



Well, do yourself a huge favor and talk directly to the IRS. Under the Obama administration they are a far more friendly, kinder IRS. They will help set up lowered payments for you, even if you made a deal with them months or years earlier on other back taxes.



They will still negotiate with you while you try to find a job or recover from the chaotic economy. I know what I'm talking about because I hear it everywhere around me: People in Louisiana and the Gulf Coast are getting to be IRS policy experts these days since the BP Oil Spill Disaster a year ago.



Call the IRS on your own. Don't waste good money throwing it away to a tax resolution attorney or service. Often they don't get you as good a deal as when you negotiate directly with the IRS. After all, the whole point is you are struggling to pay, so why load yourself up with more debt you end up owing to a tax service? These guys can charge you thousands of dollars for that one cheap phone call you can do yourself.



Whatever you do, make sure you file your taxes even if you don't send in payment. The IRS is a lot more amenable when you have complied with the law and filed in a timely manner.



To date, there is over $330 billion owed to the IRS, most from the wealthy who just plain refuse to pay what they owe. Isn't it about time Obama started chasing down Big Business and the greedy before they go after out of work or under employed Formerly Known As Middle Class Americans?

Funny Video: Stephen Colbert Prepares Us 4 Life Without Glenn Beck

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From Denny:  This is pretty funny stuff as Stephen shows the Beck clips of "end of the world backpacks" every household should stash. It's got at least two weeks worth of freeze dried food that tastes yummy, according to Beck. Then Colbert goes on to lampoon the remaining stragglers of advertisers still willing to show their face, uh, their products on the Glenn Beck show.

Funny Late Nite Jokes Roundup: Government Shutdown

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From Denny: For the moment the government shutdown was averted - until the next time. The coming battle for political supremacy will be fighting over raising the debt ceiling. Without it, the country is basically screwed for mortgage loans, small business loans: life.



With it, we are still facing mounting debt, courtesy of the George Bush Tax Cuts - which Obama gave yet again without a quality negotiation.  Then there are the two Bush wars in Iraq and Afghanistan which Obama has seen fit to continue for the benefit of the same war profiteers.



Aren't we lucky that in today's news Pakistan announced it  is finally getting tired of America and demanding we leave? The Long Goodbye always starts with rumors on facebook, rumors at The New York Times, followed by the CIA getting kicked out on their intelligence-gathering ears.

Funny Videos: Jon Stewart Mocks Glenn Beck FOX News Departure

Glenn Beck - Image via Wikipedia

From Denny: Did any of us think the long rambling weird reign of foul-mouthed Glenn Beck would ever stop? Well, even FOX News has had enough and told him last week his show was canceled. He will depart the end of the year when his contract ends. Well, it never was real news, just imagined news.



For months comics have lampooned Beck's messianic Hitler style attitude and declarations. Well, even Beck's fans began to evaporate. Turns out in January his fan base began dwindling. Originally, at the height of his nightly viewership was clocked at about three million.



A show on a network has to top well over seven million to stay on the air. Well, by January, Beck's viewership was down by one million. It was amazing that two million people tuned into to listen to his strange - and often violent - ramblings. It does make you wonder if Beck helped destabilize millions of other people, causing them to tip over the edge to insanity.



It was incredible the top notch advertisers on this show - big names like GE, BMW, various Big Banks, you name them. So why did Beck suddenly lose 30 percent of his advertisers in one quick sweep? Why did Beck lose 30 percent of his viewership in just one month? Why is Beck continuing to bleed viewers and advertisers at the rate of about 5 percent erosion a month?

The Lurching American Economy, Political Cartoons

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From Denny: The world economy is a mess and about to get messier with Japan in distress from their latest earthquake, tsunami, nuclear disaster trifecta. Well, the good news is that we are all in the same boat, trying to swim the same polluted economic waters. It would help if our governments gave us accurate numbers and quit massaging them to please the financial markets.



The unemployment here in America is supposed to be at 8.8 percent. What a joke. There are millions of people who gave up looking. Those known as The 99ers, whose unemployment benefits ended after 99 weeks, have been unemployed for years now.  Even President Obama says there are hundreds of thousands of people who will never get a job again.  What kind of statement is that from a president?  Not everyone deserves a job in this country?

Obama: End Libya War Now and 14 Political Cartoons

Inauguration Day Image via Wikipedia

From Denny:  While America's war hawks and profiteers are thrilled to have spent $1 billion this week bombing Libya, it's time to complete The Hand Over to anyone else but us.  Americans did not expect to be the country spending 95 percent of the money in this police action and we are not happy about it. American taxpayers are fed up with footing the bill for everything all the time and for far too long. We spend decades in idiot unnecessary expensive wars started by previous presidents, then start "police actions" in a current administration.



It's admirable President Obama chose to help the Libyan people who are revolting against their dictator but it's now time for America to pull back, sit down and allow some other country to be the star of the international show. I vote for France.  Who cares if France wants to headquarter from Paris instead of New York?  Who cares if it's NATO or France doing the duty?  Why must American military commanders always dictate the terms?  We no longer must commit 95 percent of the money, the troops or the weapons.  The coalition partners all have robust and well equipped modern military.  There is no need for this "show boating."

56 Political Fitness Comedy American Style Cartoons

From Denny:  With all the emotional saturation of the tragic news coming out of Japan we all need a comedy break. I've been collecting this silly political humor for a couple of weeks and it looks like now is the time for its debut when we all could use a stress reliever.



Hey, my eyes are so bleary from sifting through the news to find the truth these past few weeks from reporting on Egypt and then Japan, well, my cartoons count might be off. Feel free to throw virtual spitballs my way to voice your opinion. :)





American Politics:

Newt Gingrich Cartoons: Newtie 4 President - NOT!

Image via Wikipedia

From Denny: Two words: Newt Gingrich. Two more words: Laughable Hypocrite. This guy has more ex-wives than should be possible. He lays a line of huge BS on them, they swallow it hook, line and sinker. Then, years later, they are shocked Newt admits he is shallow, two-timing and a total hypocrite.



His own words, recently revealed by the recent ex-wife: "It doesn't matter if I live up to what I tell others to do. They want me to tell them how to live. I can live however I choose. The important thing is others need to hear from my lips how they are supposed to live their lives." Can anyone get more arrogant or self-aggrandizing?



Newt Gingrich is a real piece of political and hypocritical artwork that seems to think his cruelty and deceit toward others will never catch up with him. Remember this is the former GOP House Speaker that ran his strategy to impeach President Clinton AND Vice President Al Gore so he could be the one to step into power as the new president. That fiasco backfired on him and he was forced to step down in shame.



Now he's running for president against Obama. No wonder Team Obama is so confident they will win reelection. Take a look at the Bozo Collection lined up against him in the Republican Camp: Bozo Bachman, Weirdo Palin, Foul-Mouthed Huckabee and now Laughable Hypocrite Newtie. Yeah, that's no competition - at least from among the Republicans. And never under estimate the will of the American people to be so ticked off with the current president to throw him out on his ear in favor of a Bozo. After all, George Bush, and co-president Karl Rove, set the standard for the New Low in American Politics.



Well, with the cartoonists, Ol' Newtie just can't pass The Smell Test. Take a look and get a weekend grin from the latest Buffoon Brigade running for President...

Wisconsin: Update, The Peoples Uprising Cartoons - 11 Mar 2011

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

From Denny:  Wisconsin Gov. Walker and his Shame Republicans think this issue is closed.  They plan on firing up to 7,000 teachers.  Their state's economy is already rocky and now this idiot governor is poised to rocket it into the abyss.  When the protesters chanted, "Shame! Shame!" they were on target for just how bad local governments have become.  Republicans are hell bent upon pleasing their corporate donors to the tune of wrecking the American economy.



What did the Republicans think they accomplished by "winning the battle but losing the war"?  At present, they basically got rid of the teachers' rights to negotiate their wages and benefits.  Now the governor can set any level for their wages and they have to take it or leave the job.  That is not a choice.  Nor is it American to deny a person free speech.  Our Supreme Court gives free speech to nasty people like the Westboro Baptist Church that screams hate speech at the funerals of fallen gay soldiers.  Yet we cannot seem to give free speech rights to our own teachers.



What a bunch of traitorous hyenas running this country.  The country is set on a slow burn that could erupt like a volcano as this harsh Republican lunacy spreads from state to state.  Already my Louisiana governor is following the Christie-Walker leadership like some dancing puppet for our state budget. Fortunately, he is getting fought from both sides of the political aisle.

Peoples Revolution: Wisconsin Update and Political Cartoons

Puppet for the oligarchy Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Image by DonkeyHotey via Flickr

From Denny:  The political debate goes on in the cities and the suburbs of Wisconsin. Republicans hate unions, not really understanding if they lose their current wage levels in the public sector the next to lose is everyone else in the private sector - especially those who are not unionized as they will be the first targets. They still believe the hype from the conservatives. Talk about brain washing.



The liberals in different areas of Wisconsin exhibit a strong contrast. They do understand what we all have to lose if America allows Big Business to dictate all terms all the time. Most are in agreement the Wisconsin Democrats only had one option open to them to stop from getting run over by the political puppets of Big Business - take off past the border of the state.



The longer this stalemate goes on the more sympathy the Democrats and the unions and teachers are coming their way.  Currently, support for the Wisconsin governor is quickly eroding from among Independents.  And now, there are at least up to four Republicans willing to cross the line and vote with the Democrats against the governor.  The Wisconsin Senate is 19 Republicans to the 14 Democrats.  A defection of at least two Republicans would be a huge victory.



And the shouting continues... Whew! Democracy is one messy business.

42 Obama 2011 Budget Cuts and Economy Cartoons

President Bush and President Obama Image via Wikipedia

From Denny: Well, it's unanimous - most of America hates these budget cuts. We have all figured out we are getting screwed by our corporate politicians. If we get sick, grow old, desire higher education or want any kind of stable financial future then we are just "shit outta luck" with this President and this Congress. They appear to be beyond shame and keep feeding their Greed Monster: Big Business.



To the rescue? Looks like Lady Karma will be dealing some harsh hands to the same hard hearts slapping at - and dismissing with a cavalier wave of the hand - all the vulnerable in our society. The way Big Business is going just about everyone will end up in the Vulnerable category, from what's left of the middle class down to the poor.



At some point Americans will have to riot and take to the streets to reestablish real values in this country. I wonder how long it will take before Americans understand how over the past 30 years the Republicans and Big Business have whittled away at the middle class wealth to drive us into perpetual economic slavery?





Obama and the new budget that takes from the poor and gives to the rich:

The Obama Budget and American Economy Cartoons

Image via Wikipedia

From Denny: A politically divided Congress and President Obama tackle the nation's budget. The Republicans want to kill off all old people who are not rich so employers don't have to pay into Social Security. Did I mention they want yet more tax cuts for the rich? And the quickly evaporating middle class and the poor are supposed to have their taxes jump by high increases. Talk about insulting. And we elected any of these people? "Throw them from the train!" may become the new national chant.



The current budget proposal from Obama is $3.73 trillion, trimming $1.1 trillion a year for the next 10 years. Supposedly, this budget claims it will "help boost the U.S. economy and make it more competitive." How cutting college loans will accomplish that is beyond common sense. There are 200 federal programs getting the axe or severely slashed, many related to education. How does shutting out millions of American school children from a better educated future help develop those smart enough to secure America's future? Oh, that's right, we will bring in foreign visa workers to fill the gap. When are we going to invest in American education from top to bottom and stick with it over the long term?



The Obama version of the budget calls for a five-year freeze on our domestic spending and a couple of tax hikes on oil companies and large institutions. There is an eleven percent increase for funding to education while it cuts college loans. That sure leaves a lot of us scratching our heads as to which end is up.  We are going to increase taxes to the oil companies at the same time while we continue awarding them insanely huge subsidies. This budget has us all wondering if this is really a satire spoof from Saturday Nite Live.



Want to read The Obama Budget in all its glory word for word? Check out this link for your very own pdf file. One thing is for sure, Obama gets high marks for a readable proposal - OK, it's actually a speech attached to a budget proposal - instead of the usual academic government gobble gook verbiage.  But at least it made for more of a yawn-free read.











If Congress and the President really wanted to balance the budget quickly and efficiently they would stop the Afghan and Iraq War messes and strike down that $900 billion tax cut to the wealthy they passed in December.  That would get America the true deficit reduction we all want and in short order - not by cutting energy bill assistance in the dead of winter to old people and young widows with children.



What ever happened to a nation - and leaders - of compassion?  In the end, our legacy as a nation will be judged by how well we responded to those in need.  Right now, the Baby Boomer generation will not go down well in the history books if this lobbyist purchased Congress and corrupt Supreme Court are any indication.



Check out this story over at Pew Research: Fewer Want Spending to Grow, But Most Cuts Remain Unpopular

American Political Cartoons - 12 Feb 2011

Outgoing Prez Bush with Incoming Prez Obama Image via Wikipedia

From Denny:  What a whirlwind week with the peaceful people's Egypt Revolution finally winning and ousting Mubarak! America was on the periphery. President Obama was clueless as to what to do, constantly changing his position from day to day. Republican think tanks were apoplectic, frothing at the mouth trying to force Obama to their strong man line of leadership, how he was supposed to be in control of Egypt and Mubarak.  Israel, Jordan and other Middle Eastern countries were frantically calling Obama to come out and declare this or that, in other words, lead the situation.



This Egypt Revolution was of the people and no one else for a pleasant change. This was one time my father's precious damned CIA, the Pentagon and the White House were not working feverishly in sync to destabilize and topple a foreign government just to place their favorite puppet in power. When American politicians, military and intelligence finally get their egos out of The Big Picture this world will be a better place. Why does it always have to be about what's good for America? Don't they understand that what is good for that particular country ends up being good for everyone in the end?



Man up, world governments, and learn to respond and adapt to what evolves in any situation. Quite trying to control it and then cover up your mistakes when things go awry. The weak indecision of President Obama actually played in his favor in the Egypt situation. As usual, Obama is late to the party. He isn't a joiner. He isn't a people person. He isn't a leader. He's a professor who should have stayed in the classroom that he could control. Real leadership is messy because life is messy. America is a democracy, not an autocracy, contrary to what the Republicans and this White House want to create for their convenience and ease of operation.



By doing nothing Obama looked like he was not interfering in Egypt, therefore not creating a backlash onto America as the Republicans would have slammed our way.  It could have escalated into a bigger mess with Middle East anger directed at America for all the past mistakes of previous presidencies. Obama gets a gold star in my book any way.  Sometimes, it is better to stay out of the game.







George Bush weird:

Cartoons: My Demo-Yard-Cats and GOP Temper Tantrums

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From Denny:  What is it about my Democrats?  Like the typical yard cat they don't seem to know their name or come when they are called - like when their base voters are screaming at them to the contrary of what they are currently doing.  OK, my cats come when they are called but they were trained like dogs.  Don't come when you are called, you don't get any food.  Comprende?  It's the Head Cat Get Tough Policy at our house. Maybe the rank and file Democrats should take the same approach and quit giving our politicians our votes until they start doing all that we have asked them to do - not what the lobbyists have asked them to do.



Obama and my annoying Demo-Yard-Cats:

Cartoons: Some Hummers to Scratch Your Head Why

From Denny:  OK, these are those wonderfully obscure type of cartoons that some people don't always "get" as to why they are funny but they sure made me grin. Yes, back in the ol' school days, I used to be the toast of the English teachers because I remembered all the obscure peanut gallery comments from those no-name characters in Shakespeare's plays. Never mind, I could care less about the main event but fortunately they rarely queried me on that account. Read that as they believed me to be brilliant, when clearly said probable brilliance was often misplaced - or happily redirected - to more interesting venues.



Yes, my poor teachers often wanted to pull their hair out and sell it to me for a Christmas gift. But, they always said they placed my essays or term papers at the top of the pile to read since I proved to be the most entertaining. Of course, they went about red-lining the hell out of said "works of art" when I refused to follow proper, OK, dull, form. Never mind it was a teaching moment for us both, right? :) Which is probably why I so appreciate the cracked minds of these cartoonists...





Hmmmm....













Check out all the detail in this one:

Cartoons: Just Good Old-Fashioned Political Comedy

Image via Wikipedia

From Denny: Sometimes, Life is just too amusing and these cartoonists certainly have capitalized on the opportunists capitalizing on us. Lots of funnies about President Obama's SOTU address, "addressing" the silly school child culture that surrounded the days before the speech. You know, just who asked "you have got to be kidding me!" to sit with them instead of in the usual stiff-necked partisan division. It was all about the political marketing of trying to convince America how Congress and the President are so serious about working together for our common good. Yeah, sure left me speechless too. :)



Then this week was the 100th birthday of deceased former President Reagan. Everyone tries to capitalize upon his charisma too. While I did not agree with his conservative agenda and was not ttoo thrilled about how he was the first president to run up a $1 trillion debt, the guy was a sweetie personality-wise. In fact, he was originally a Democrat until he married money and his father-in-law convinced him to come over to The Dark Side - Republicanism. What that father-in-law saw was what the Republican Party sorely lacked - and still does - anyone with a heart.



GOP 2012 presidential wannabe contenders like Newt Gingrich, Michelle Bachman and Sarah Palin have been invoking Reagan's memory and comparing themselves to him. Reagan was an original, folks. Ain't no one like him in the political sphere today. Not even Obama can - or should - compare himself to Reagan.



It is rather creepy how the GOP has been promoting Reagan to God status just like they did the Constitution. Enough already and the cartoonists agree! :)





Just plain good old-fashioned political comedy:

31 More Egypt Revolution Cartoons

Cartoonists churn out new opinions at as fast a rate as the situation changes in Egypt during the protests.

From Denny: The fast pace of revolution is, well, why they call it a "revolution"! Events unfolding in Egypt are astounding to witness. The first few days of the week the protests were primarily peaceful with the exception of a few idiot looters.



In the early days the protesters called for Mubarek to step down immediately. Mubarek said "No!" but did dissolve his cabinet and created the first Vice President, a man of his own choosing, of course. The protesters were not well impressed and demanded Mubarek and his whole government leave. Mubarek was tired of his idea of concessions to the voice of his people.



Mubarek drew back the hated corrupt police force as a way to teach the people how much they needed him. That backfired. That act of depraved indifference for his people did not deter the protesters. Instead, they organized themselves in every neighborhood and created their own security task forces to guard themselves and their property.



Did I mention Mubarek also let loose thousands of violent prisoners, emptying them into the streets to terrorize the populace into submission? Then Mubarek closed down the internet and cell phone service which he later restored in a couple of days. He probably found out he couldn't run his own affairs without it.



Yesterday the protests turned violent with the odd addition of thugs on horses and camels riding into the protesters, swinging clubs and battering anyone they could. They especially went after foreign news crews with cameras to prevent the news from getting out of the country.



Clearly, Mubarek sent in those thugs in place of official police or the military. Who knows? Maybe those thugs are really plains clothes police who are afraid of what will happen to them if Mubarek does leave the country, abandoning them. That might explain the passion and the furor of which they fight because they may feel they are fighting for their own survival.



The Army refuses to fire upon the protesters, often joining in photo-ops and chants with them. Both the protesters and Mubarek have been competing for the loyalty of the Army. What's a ruthless dictator to do? Well, unleash every psychopath he can lay his hands on so he is not forced to let loose his 30 year grip on power.



If the protesters stand strong and fight back they will eventually win the day. A million protesters against a few hundred thugs will win in the end.



President Obama's response seems to be shifting and changing along with the situation. If Mubarek wants to live through this someone with a stronger will than Obama needs to convince this guy it's past due time to leave. Why not send a military man to talk to a military man?



And another question: Has Obama stopped the flow of foreign aid funds to Egypt yet? That's a reputed $1.3 BILLION  I would hope so until we know who will be in office running the country. Otherwise, our hard-earned taxpayers funds may end up in some Swiss bank account with a Mubarek (secretly) named owner. I guess we don't have to worry about hunting it down. Surely, WikiLeaks will blast those secret accounts all over the internet. It's enough to make you want to hide your cashed paycheck under the mattress. :)

Political Cartoons: Obama 2011 State Of The Union

How the cartoonists viewed the 2011 SOTU and cracked Republican responses.

Obama 2010 SOTU photo Image via Wikipedia

From Denny:  Oh, the SOTU address.  Doesn't it just bring shivers down your spine? OK, maybe not.  But we do all wait for that time once a year to see if our politicians can behave like grown-ups for at least a night.  Since the horrific shooting of Democrat Congresswoman Gabby Giffords in Tucson a few weeks ago, the watchword was to dial back the toxic rhetoric and dish out civil political discourse.



Well, this year was the time of acting like a bunch of middle school kids, asking each other to sit together in "mixed seating" instead of the usual partisan group seating by political party.  No kidding.  GOP Cantor asked Democrat Speaker Pelosi to sit with him.  Of course, he was too popular and too cool to ask her directly.  He did so through about three intermediaries.  How childish can you get?  Pelosi politely gave his staff the brush off as she had already asked her own Republican beau to the dance, uh, farce.



President Obama was barely into his speech when the GOP was up on Twitter denouncing it in the ugliest of tones and the usual spitballs flying all over the classroom, uh, the nation's Capitol.  In the SOTU speech Obama seemed to hit the right notes with the American public as was evidenced by the polls.  The real question is whether this president who is well known for inspirational speech-making will actually follow up with more than tepid deeds aimed at pleasing corporate welfare America.  And my question is this:  Will he ever look like a Democrat instead of a right-leaning GOP wannabe?





The 2011 State Of The Union address: