Prior related posts appear below:
| Part 4 |
| Part 3 |
| Part 2 |
| Part 1 (with setup) |
Dregs of the Year Nominee
King v. Burwell lawyer (arguing against the ACA subsidies) Michael Carvin, who used a supposedly satirical letter here penned by officials from seven states requesting information from the DHS as actual evidence in opposition to the ACA (just say “oops” and get out, Carvin, you nematode…fortunately, the ACA would be upheld)
Dregs of the Year Nominee
Repug U.S. Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois tried to equate the Senate Dems’ refusal to support a human trafficking bill with Democrats defending slavery in the 1850s (here).
For what seems like the eleventy bazillionth time, a piece of legislation that, formerly, was not a political issue at all became one when Republicans inserted something having nothing whatsoever to do with the original bill into it. And as is so often the case, this is yet another sneaky attempt by the right wing in this country to pursue their “values” agenda against abortion.
This one is a particular no-brainer…get rid of this latest attempt to expand the so-called “Hyde Amendment” (named after a Republican serial philanderer), re-introduce the bill with only the originally crafted legislation, and send it to the floor for a vote. And it will pass.
Here we have, as far as I’m concerned, yet further proof of the decay of our federal legislature, led to this current ruinous state from the “scorched earth” political maneuvers of Baby Newton Leroy Gingrich for starters and carried on to this day by his foul Republican successors in both bodies of Congress.
And by the way, wasn’t Kirk formerly considered a “grownup” within his party? Last I checked, though, his polling numbers for the 2016 election were pretty bad, so hopefully he’s on thin electoral ice, as they say.
Dregs of the Year Nominees
St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in the San Francisco Archdiocese for this, i.e., installing a shower head to rain down water on homeless people who, for lack of any other place whatsoever to go, might commit the apparently unpardonable offense of sleeping on the church steps (looks to me like there are some folks out there who have lost the way, you might say…they later apologized, as well they should, and said they would discontinue this disgusting practice)
Dregs of the Year Nominee
Former Obama DHS Secretary and Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano for this (h/t Atrios – just because someone is ostensibly a Democrat, that doesn’t mean that they can’t be an out-of-touch elitist too)
Do-Gooder of the Year Nominee
And speaking of Number 44, I think he gets it for calling for mandatory voting here (to say its time has long since come is an understatement…and of course, as is his habit on this stuff unfortunately, he made a speech but really didn’t do much afterwards to follow up on this great idea)
Do-Gooder of the Year Nominee
Martese Johnson, a junior who was brutally beaten by cops at UVA, who called for calm among a crowd of protestors here (kudos – by the way, Johnson is on the University’s Honor Committee…can’t imagine what he did that was supposedly so awful)
Dregs of the Year Nominee
I know he was already Dregs of the Year last year, but I have to “ding” Israeli PM-elect (again) “Bibi” Netanyahu for going back on his promise to not allow a “two-state” solution for his country and Palestine only two days after winning re-election, as noted here.
Yes, his change of heart is the right thing to do, but how crass a political animal is this guy to plays his supporters for such saps in so transparent a fashion?
It’s a good thing he doesn’t hold elected office in this country (since he surely would be a Republican), or else he might win the nomination for president.
Dregs of the Year Nominee
New Hampshire State Representative Warren Groen, who used the occasion of fourth graders introducing a bill to make the red-tailed hawk the official state raptor to not only ridicule the bill with the students and their teacher in the gallery, but to use it to attack Planned Parenthood also – does anyone seriously think that at least some (or perhaps all) of these kids are going to bail on their civic duty as adults now because of the treatment they received from this idiot (here and here)?
Do-Gooder of the Year Nominee
I have to admit that the bar is pretty much set to curb level for this one, but fair is fair – “America’s Mayor” Rudy Giuliani did the right thing here to tell the Repugs in the U.S. Senate to stop playing games and schedule a vote to confirm Loretta Lynch as the Obama AG to succeed Eric Holder, which eventually happened (here).
Do-Gooder of the Year Nominee
Women’s softball pitching phenom Mo’ne Davis; …she came to the aid of a Bloomsburg University baseball player who got kicked off the team for a disgusting tweet about her, asking the team to reinstate this idiot…class beyond her years (here)
Dregs of the Year Nominee
Connecticut Repug State Rep Mike Bocchino, who said here that it’s “a really great party” if you witness a rape on campus, referring to college of course – what an unbelievable pig (hat tip to Bill Maher for tracking this down…ugh)
…on the other hand…
Dregs of the Year Nominee
I really didn’t want to weigh in on this at first, but in March for two weeks in a row, Maher used his show to criticize those who criticized the Italian high end fashion designers Dolce and Gabbana because the two made disparaging remarks about in-vitro fertilization and, by extension, same-sex parenting of kids; Maher said that those criticizing D&G were practicing some sort of version of political correctness run amok (Maher used this story as an opportunity to criticize those who, for example, criticized Kathleen McCartney, the president of prestigious Smith College, for saying “all lives matter” instead of “black lives matter” here).
Maher has a point about political correctness, but as far as I’m concerned, he mixed not just apples and oranges, but every tropical fruit under the sun, as it were. For what it’s worth, here is what I think; when D&G criticize in-vitro fertilization, they’re not just criticizing same-sex parenting, but ALL parents (family members of mine are raising a child that was the product of in-vitro fertilization, and as far as I’m concerned, that life is just as much of a miracle as a child conceived through the normal means, and if D&G or anyone else tell me that that child is “synthetic,” then I’m going to tell them to shut the f*ck up and I don’t care how rich they are).
I realize that Maher is, first and foremost, an entertainer. And if he wants to criticize, say, the backlash against McCartney (while that cackling idiot S.E. Cupp sits there on the panel and approves), then it’s his right to do that. But when you side with a couple of Italian bigots who have a problem with the pedigree of a certain group of kids who are totally blameless as far as I’m concerned, then expect people like me to take exception.
So yeah, this citation goes to Maher, if for no other reason because of referring to Elton John with a prefix of “dame,” a totally classless and unfunny move (and as far as I’m concerned, he would disgrace himself later this year also).
Dregs of the Year Nominee
This goes to the alleged “man” in the audience noted here who laughed when Ohio State Representative Teresa Fedor revealed that she was raped when she served in the military (“Support the troops,” huh?); Fedor was speaking out against a proposed bill to ban abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected (the bill gives no exemptions for rape victims – I know this is a dumb question, but is the “party of Lincoln” ever going to learn when it comes to this shit?)
Dregs of the Year Nominee
I know there was a reason why Pope Francis gave the boot to Cardinal Raymond Burke, and Burke proved it here when he said that gays and remarried Catholics are the same as murderers (as noted previously, just say “oops” and get out, OK? And I’m not even going to bother asking for an apology.)
Do-Gooder of the Year Nominees
Governors Dan Malloy of Connecticut and Jay Inslee of Washington state for instituting a ban on state-funded travel to Indiana in response to the Hoosier State’s utterly odious “Religious Freedom Restoration Act” sponsored by Indiana’s moron governor Mike Pence here (in addition to standing in opposition to basic human decency, Indiana’s new law is a drag economically – and once more, I REALLY don’t need to identify the political parties here, do I…here)
Do-Gooder of the Year Nominee
Dem U.S. House Rep Scott Peters of California, for introducing legislation here mandating that the chamber of the U.S. Congress where Peters toils work all 40 hours Monday through Friday like the rest of us, at least (what a concept – Man Tan Boehner and his bunch having to reside on Capitol Hill all five work days a week, including Mikey the Beloved of course…wonder if they can take it?)
Do-Gooder of the Year Nominee
Nebraska farmer and former pipeline worker James Osborne, who invited members of the Nebraska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (the pro-fracking ones, anyway) to drink water contaminated by the process of oil and natural gas exploration here…nothing like speaking truth to stoo-pid, is there?
Dregs of the Year Nominee
Tennessee State Senator (and Morgan Stanley wealth manager – and just how is he allowed to serve in state government anyway for that reason?) Todd Gardenhire gets a dubious mention; when asked by activist Damien Crisp if Gardenhire would give up his state-subsidized health insurance, Gardenhire called Crisp an asshole (guess it takes one to know one…and for the record, Gardenhire voted against Medicaid expansion, which would have cost his state nothing and provided coverage for about 280, 000 people – nice guy…here)
Do-Gooder of the Year Nominees
All of the tech industry leaders who signed a letter protesting Indiana’s new anti-gay law, as noted here
Dregs of the Year Nominee
Crystal O’Connor, for the reasons stated so well by Laura Clawson of Daily Kos here
Do-Gooder of the Year Nominee
Florida state senator Nancy Detert truly deserves a special mention for saying the following at a public hearing (here):
“You’re all on the Koch brothers’ payroll. Good for you. I’m glad you’re all employed … I hope you’re getting paid a lot of money to show up to these meetings and say meaningless things.”
Oh, and did I mention that Detert is a Republican? What guts…and as far as I know, she never tried to “walk it back.”
Do-Gooder of the Year Nominee
Michigan factory owner J.C. Huizenga for this – would that more in similar shoes would follow his fine example…
Dregs of the Year (Possibly the Millennia) Nominee
“Minuteman” person-in-charge Chris Simcox for all the reasons noted here; in particular, those allegations involving child molestation of a 7 and 8-year-old girl (and a secondary Dregs citation to Judge Jose Padilla, who allowed Simcox, representing himself at the trial, to question the girls on the stand)
“Incredible Waste of Time” Citation of the Year
This goes out to all the people I genuinely admire, including Robert Reich and Mark Ruffalo, who have, in my opinion, wasted SO MUCH TIME AND EFFORT this year trying to persuade MA Dem Senator Elizabeth Warren to run for president in the Democratic Party primary against Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin whatsisname…Warren is a very smart lady, and she’s been able to get pretty far on her own – I’m sure she doesn’t need anyone’s help to make her political decisions for her, particularly since she’s made it abundantly clear that she has NO INTEREST in running for president.
Dregs of the Year Nominee
A thus-far-unnamed man numbskull from Altoona, Pa. brought a loaded Glock into church for Mass (and on Easter Sunday, no less). And as you can imagine, the gun discharged, though apparently (and thank God, literally) no one was hurt (here).
Let us pray.
The “Looks Like Peter Cottontail Paid A Visit To Walter White” Citation of the Year
As noted here, Oklahoma police nabbed somebody wearing an Easter Bunny costume carrying about $30,000 worth of meth (I’ll bet he was “holding” for Santa Claus)
Dregs of the Year Nominee
Georgia middle school teacher Nancy Perry, who said here that, if any of the parents of her students voted for President Obama, then “they’re not Christians” (God, lady, that’s sooo 2009, 2010 of you – time to brush up on the latest wingnuttery, including how Obama is supposedly going to let Iran turn Europe into a Muslim caliphate)
…and with that in mind…
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., expresses his dismay at Russian Vladimir Putin leader granting asylum to American secrets leaker Edward Snowden, at a news conference at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013. Defying the United States, Russia granted Edward Snowden temporary asylum on Thursday, allowing the National Security Agency leaker to slip out of the Moscow airport where he has been holed up for weeks in hopes of evading espionage charges back home. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Dregs of the Year Nominee
It really disgusts me beyond words that I have to share a stated political allegiance with an utterly contemptible, low life worm like Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, but I have to.
Totally craven toady to the “banksters”? Check. In AIPAC’s back pocket? Check. Doing his very best to make the Democratic Party almost inseparable ideologically from the Repugs? Check.
And with the last two of that sorry trifecta in mind, I should note here that Schumer pledged to support Repug Sen. Bob Corker’s bill to disapprove the deal negotiated in April about Iran’s nuclear capability (here).
You know, the deal approved by Bushco Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns, as well as Michael Levi of the Council on Foreign Relations, and former Clinton Secretary of State Madeleine Albright (no foreign policy slouches in that bunch…here).
I happen to come across a lot of people who think there’s no difference between the Democrats and the Republicans. And when it comes to Charles Schumer, I unfortunately agree with them (Schumer would act in a similarly reprehensible manner later).
Dregs of the Year Nominee
It’s bad enough that Repug Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner cut funds for services for people with autism, but to do it on World Autism Day takes the word “despicable” to a whole other level as far as I’m concerned (here).
Dregs of the Year (Possibly the Entire A.D. Period Of Recorded History) Nominee
The Tulsa, OK police officer responsible for the almost unspeakably evil (and completely profane) quote noted here
Do-Gooder of the Year Nominee
Repug Congressman Bob Inglis for this – kind of pathetic that he, apparently, is the only one in his party who realizes that we have a climate crisis (or at least the only one willing to go on record about it)
Dregs of the Year Nominee
23-year-old Martin Alvarado Jr., who (allegedly) killed the 18-month-old son of his girlfriend because the boy peed on him when Alvarado changed the boy’s diaper – if Alvarado is found guilty, he should be strung up by his thumbs and left for the buzzards (here)
Dregs of the Year Nominees
PETA, for allowing themselves to be utterly played by rabidly anti-immigrant AZ Sheriff Joe Arpaio (here)…
Do-Gooder of the Year Nominee
Tim McGraw for this (not really a fan, I should add), and of course, he earned the typical wrath from the “ammo-sexuals” out there for it…
More later…
The Liberal Doomsayer 