Tinfoil Hat Time: Rachel Maddow & the Missile Defense Agency Logo

Hilarious. And right-wing world believes this crap. . .

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Keith Olbermann on the Vast Left-wing Conspiracy

Well, my unprolificness continues. I seem to keep running out of blog gas early. I'm looking for interesting stuff, honest!

And I've found a little. For instance, this clip from Countdown with Keith Olbermann. Yes, I know, more MSNBC. The reason I'm posting this though, is that it addresses something I brought up in my last post. The fact that tinfoil-hat-wearing conspiracy theorists are now more obvious on the right side of the aisle.

Because the right used to be a monolithic, lock-steppy bunch--with Bush White House talking points filtering their way--often verbatim--through Republican politicians, FOX "News", talk radio--they assume that liberals do that too.

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Conspiracy Corner: GOP Now Wearing the Tinfoil Hats

On the way home from work, I again sampled a little of the almost unlistenable Mark Levin Show. Don't try this at home, kids. In the very few minutes I listened, I heard the host and his callers addressing the motives of President Barack Obama, his administration, and the motives of liberals in general. They seem to believe that there is this list somewhere of "agendas."

Apparently, whenever a policy is enacted, Democrats have these secret agendas in mind. Now, anyone who follows Democratic politics knows that getting all or most of them to agree on just about anything is a herculean effort. But Republicans--recent history excepted--are known for getting all lock-steppy. So, in a classic case of projection, they assume that liberals do the same thing.

I have an example to show you, this time from FreeRepublic, the arch-right wing site. The subject in this case is the fight over California's Proposition 8. The subject could be almost anything, but since this one has to do with gay marriage, it makes for a particularly good example.

Here are a few of the comments, with a few responses from me.

"It’s war, and the left believes in winning by any means necessary."

Actually, it's a war on their side. The left--those of us concerned with gay rights, anyway--simply wants those rights respected.

"Social conservatives have been right all along. The legal radicals use of the gay agenda is not about gays or their agenda - the leftists don’t really give a dam about them - it has, all along, been an assault on marriage."

Right. We don't care about equal rights for all. We don't care if gay people get treated like other law-abiding taxpayers. Our agenda is to destroy marriage.

"The goal is the destruction of the traditional, nuclear family."

Where do they get this stuff? Who exactly is calling for this? Politicians? Activists? Bloggers? Who?

"The radical process is NOT about and NOT in service of a “gay agenda”. It is about the destruction of marriage. Everything else, including any “gay agenda” are just useful idiot tools in the process."

More of the same, and also assumes the existence of the mythical "gay agenda," something this gay person has never seen outside of right-wing blogs and satire.

"Oh to be sure. They are horrific people."

Yes, horrible! Funny, the people seeking rights are "horrific," and those seeking to squash those rights are not.

"It isn't fear of homosexuality -- just recognition of the bigger picture and the ultimate goals. Ever read the goals of the Communist Party? Try these two for starters:
40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.
41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents."

They really think that liberals have some undisclosed, clandestine agenda to do these things.

"Marriage is under coordinated, long-prepared legal attack. There are hundreds of homosexual attorneys working right now on a Constitutional attack on marriage. Their goal is the Supreme Court, where a closeted Justice Souter waits perfidiously to offer their lying briefs a civil reception. "

OK, I'm done. This is just too crazy for words. But I would like someone to explain a couple of things to me. First, if same-sex marriages were instantly legal in all 50 states tonight, how would that "destroy" marriage? What tangible damage would be done? And secondly, which people are involved in the effort to dismantle marriage, exactly? Names, evidence, something besides the ravings of these loons?

Source: FreeRepublic

Randi Rhodes Still Missing

Photo from LTR

Last Wednesday--I think it was Wednesday--I was listening to KTLK on my computer, expecting to hear The Randi Rhodes Show. Instead, it was replaced with "The Best of Randi." The next day, the show was fresh, but a different woman--Nancy Skinner--was "sitting in" at apparently short notice. She's been there every day since.

Fans of the show are having a dickens of a time trying to figure out what's going on. The issue has been called a "technical" one, but the technicalities are likely money and/or contract related. The aggravating part is that there has been little word from Randi, NovaM, or the radio stations about exactly what is going on. Meanwhile, the Randi Rhodes website continues to update its front page, the show still uses its familiar scripted bits, and music bumpers, and most importantly, it is still called The Randi Rhodes Show.

Like all of the fans who are going batshit on her message board, the mystery has fueled my easy to trigger speculation gene, and has even had me reaching for my tinfoil hat. Did Randi get bumped because of what she said about Rush Limbaugh? Is her network out of money? Maybe she really is missing? Unfortunately, even with a Google Alert set, there has been almost no news about it. Go to Google, type in "Randi Rhodes", and tell it to search for the last day. Nothing.

But I did find this with a blog search. Who knows if it is accurate, but it is all I could find.

[Excerpt]

Whenever Randi Rhodes can put her ass in the seat…

More information is emerging about the technicalities of the word “technical” that are being used by Anita Drobny and Nova-M radio as an excuse for Rhodes absence from her nationally syndicated show. “It is not an NSF issue,” said a source familiar with the situation at WJNO, where Rhodes originates her show via ISDN connection to the greater Phoenix Nova-M facilities where it is satellite uplinked to affiliated stations. . .

Read more at: PCLiberal

Rush Limbaugh: "Democrat" Party Caused Economic Crisis

Photo from source, Think Progress

I suppose it is possible that Rush Limbaugh actually believes the crap he tries to sell to his listeners, but I kinda doubt it. Limbaugh is a lot of things, but I don't think he's unintelligent. Just disingenuous, and very, very willing to spin a story out of whole cloth if it makes his "side" look better.

And his task is huge right now. While George W. Bush has his "Bush Legacy Project" in full-swing, an attempt to spin his administration into something that doesn't suck, Limbaugh has got to do his part. So he's trying to place the blame for the current economic crisis on Democrats. Good luck with that, tubby.

[Excerpt]

Limbaugh’s Crazy Conspiracy Theory: Democrats Started The Economic Crisis To Help Elect Obama

Today, the New York Times had an article about how right-wing talk radio is gearing up to aggressively go after President-elect Obama over the next four years. Rush Limbaugh demonstrated his commitment to this crusade today on his radio show by blaming Democrats — especially Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) — for starting the current economic crisis. . .

Read more at: Think Progress

GOP Tech Guru Warned About Sabatoge

Photo from source, Raw Story

The conspiracy theory over the death of Karl Rove's tech guru Michael Connell shows no sign of abatement. And who is to say all conspiracy theories are nutty? This one seems extremely plausible.

[Excerpt]

GOP consultant killed in plane crash was warned of sabotage: report

The Republican consultant accused of involvement in alleged vote-rigging in Ohio in 2004 was warned that his plane might be sabotaged before his death in a crash Friday night, according to a Cleveland CBS affiliate. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Michael Connell Suicided? Nutty Theory or Distinct Possibility?

Another light blogging day here at Greenlee Gazette, but since most bloggers take weekends off, I always like to post a few things to keep the page current. Still, with the steep drop-off in readers since the election (down about 85%!!!), there aren't too many checking anyway.

So, as we enter into the holidays, expect a few things everyday, but less than usual.

This one is too good not to share. You heard about the death of Karl Rove's IT guru, Michael Connell, right? He was about to testify on his involvement with Turdblossom's unsavory (very likely illegal) activities, and then died in a plane crash.

Unsurprisingly, some people find this to be a little more than a coincidence. It doesn't take much for political junkies of any stripe to start seeing conspiracy theories, but this one lines up so neatly, even the more sane among us are starting to wonder. Here's a video that lays it out for you, if you are unfamiliar.

Karl Rove's I.T. Guru Dies in Plane Crash

Photo from source, Raw Story

We still haven't completely shaken off the conspiracy theory around Barack Obama's "natural born citizenship," and birth certificate, and now. . .get your tinfoil hats ready, because there's a new one being born. This one on the other side of the political aisle. But when you hear that somebody who is about to testify against the Bush administration has died in a plane crash, where does your mind go?

[Excerpt]

'Karl Rove's IT guru' Mike Connell dies in plane crash

A top level Republican IT consultant who was set to testify in a case alleging GOP election tampering in Ohio died in a plane crash late Friday night.

Michael Connell -- founder of Ohio-based New Media Communications, which created campaign Web sites for George W. Bush and John McCain -- died instantly after his single-prop, private aircraft smashed into a vacant home in suburban Lake Township, Ohio. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Barack Obama Now Officially President-Elect

Photo from source, MSNBC

Not everybody realizes it, but an elected President isn't "official" until the Electoral College actually casts their votes. It is unlikely that they wouldn't vote for the guy who won on election night, but you never know. Well, this time at least, we do know. Barack Obama was officially elected by the Electoral College yesterday.

Now will "FReepers" and crazy conspiracy theorists stop calling Obama the "President Select?" If this is any indication, probably not. . .

Political Scientist Says Electoral College Lacks What It Need To Elect Obama To White House (FreeRepublic.com)

But whatever. He's in. And though these guys will undoubtedly try to stir up trouble for the four or eight years Obama is the 44th President, the will be seen as the looney tunes they are.

[Excerpt]

It's official: Obama elected 44th president

Presidential electors have formally elected Barack Obama the nation's 44th president. . .

Read more at: MSNBC

Keith Olbermann & Arianna Huffington Discuss Obama Citizenship Controversy

Two of my favorite personalities discussing one of the subjects I find morbidly fascinating. How could I not post it? Don't get me wrong, I think the whole issue of Barack Obama's "natural born citizenship" being in question is ridiculous. But I'm paying attention to the conspiracy theorists with the fascination of a little kid rubbernecking at a car crash.

Supreme Court Will Not Hear Obama Citizenship Case

The US Supreme Court struck another blow at the "birther" conspiracy theorists today, by refusing to hear a case that alleges Barack Obama is not a "natural born citizen." None of the many cases filed have gone anywhere. Probably because the whole conspiracy theory is ludicrous.

Beyond the dubious merits of this and the many other cases though, there is something that needs to be said to the tinfoil hatters who are on this wacky bandwagon. Almost to a person, the birthers claim that they are trying to protect the US Constitution. They claim to be attempting to prevent a Constitutional crisis. They go so far as to call Obama some sort of Trojan horse candidate, ready to rend our Constitution into shreds.

Question: where have these people been the past eight years? Outside of screaming whenever any perceived attack of the 2nd amendment comes up, where were they during warrantless wiretaps? The USA PATRIOT Act? What about the countless other Bush Administration violations of the Bill of Rights?

The answer of course is that these folks are likely cloaking their true motivations within the Constitution. It's sorta like wrapping yourself in the flag. The truth is, they just can't accept the fact that a) a Democrat, b) Obama, c) a black guy, d) a Marxist, Socialist, elitist, secret Muslim with a crazy Christian preacher, who pals around with terrorists and has an angry, militant wife actually won. Take your pick.

[Excerpt]

Supreme Court Rejects Appeal Over Obama’s Citizenship

Without any comment whatsoever, the Supreme Court today declined to take up an appeal by a New Jersey man who questioned President-elect Barack Obama’s eligibility for the presidency, based on his birth to a father from Kenya and a mother who was a United States citizen. . .

Read more at: New York Times

Hawaii: Barack Obama's Birth Certificate Genuine

Will this shut up the tinfoil hatters? Uh, somehow, I doubt it. And for anyone out there who still thinks this birth certificate is a fake, check out FactCheck.org's extensive debunking of this nutty conspiracy theory, complete with a birth announcement in a Hawaii newspaper from 1961.

[Excerpt]

Obama’s Hawaii birth certificate confirmed

The director of Hawaii’s Department of Health confirmed on Friday what Barack Obama has been saying all along: the presidential candidate was born in Honolulu.

“There have been numerous requests for Sen. Barack Hussein Obama’s official birth certificate,” said Chiyome Fukino. “State law prohibits the release of a certified birth certificate to persons who do not have a tangible interest in the vital record. . .”

Read more at: BizJournals

Ohio Court Rejects "Obama not a Citizen" Suit

A lot of right-wingers like to think that conspiracy nuts exist only on the left. I myself have dipped my toe in tinfoil-hat land once or twice, so it very easy for me to see how a person can get swept away by the conspiracy tide. But the current far-right conspiracy theory: that Barack Obama is not a "natural born citizen" and is therefore ineligible for the Presidency.

Obama was born in Hawaii to a mother who was an American Citizen herself. That ought to be enough right there to prove Obama's citizenship, official birth certificate in evidence or not. But the conspiracy theory says that Obama was born in Kenya, not Hawaii. Of course, still having been born of a citizen, Obama is a citizen himself. But is he "natural born?" I'd assume that if Mrs. Obama had a child in Kenya, that it was probably natural childbirth, but that's not what they're talking about.

They're talking about a line from the Constitution, one that the founding fathers never adequately defined. It's that fuzziness about the word "natural" that has given these wingnuts the idea that Obama doesn't meet the requirement. Why they think he was born in Kenya with--as far as I can see--no evidence, just shows how nutty they are. And when their own candidate, John McCain, was born in Panama, they're really treading on thin ice.

[Excerpt]

Obama challenge rejected

Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner will not have to prove that Barack Obama was born in the United States or take his name off the ballot, a Warren County magistrate decided this morning. . .

Read more at: Cincinnati.com

News of the Weird: Spy Pigeons Busted in Iran!

Photo from source, Breitbart

On Air America Radio's Thom Hartmann Show, the host often reads mock-conspiracy stories about pigeons. According to Hartmann, pigeons are not living beings but either aliens or robots. After all, he says, do you ever see baby pigeons? Or dead pigeons?

Actually, in Las Vegas, we see quite a few dead ones, but maybe those are decoys to throw us off. And after this story, I may have to start taking Hartmann a bit more seriously! Put on your tinfoil hats, everybody!

[Excerpt]

Iran busts 'spy pigeons' near nuclear site

Security forces in Natanz have arrested two suspected "spy pigeons" near Iran's controversial uranium enrichment facility, the reformist Etemad Melli newspaper reported on Monday. . .

Read more at: Breitbart

UPDATE from Stupid Monkey News: We have received some video footage of the men that possibly perpetrated this spying mission... Looks like the work of the Bush Administration's finest... again.

Anthrax Case: FBI Stalked Ivans' Family?

Image from source, MSNBC

I haven't said anything about the 2001 anthrax attacks, and the recent "resolution" of the case. It's a story that leaves me kind of slack-jawed, sort of like that Deborah Jeanne Palfrey "DC Madam" case, only this one had more dire consequences. Yes, both supposed anthrax guy, Bruce Ivans, and Palfrey conveniently committed suicide ("suicided" if you prefer), only in the anthrax case, other people died. In both cases, my Spidey-sense was tingling.

The anthrax attacks were the terrorist attacks after 9/11 that conservatives conveniently forget. And they languished forgotten for many, many years. Then, it all got wrapped up in a nice tidy package, with a dead guy as the prime suspect. You'll get no argument from him.

But, of course many (myself prime among them) think there is much more to this story. It's all very convenient and fishy. Read on, and see what you think.

[Excerpt]

FBI said to have stalked Ivins' family
Son, daughter, bureau all decline to comment on agents' tactics

Before killing himself last week, Army scientist Bruce Ivins told friends that government agents had stalked him and his family for months, offered his son $2.5 million to rat him out and tried to turn his hospitalized daughter against him with photographs of dead anthrax victims. . .

Read more at: MSNBC

Thanks to Stupid Monkey Planet for the link!

House Passes Law, Won't Talk About It

One who did talk, Dennis Kucinich
Photo from Raw Story

Some of the more hardcore liberals in the blogosphere are worried. They think that George W. Bush and his administration are not about to give up the power they've grabbed. They believe there will be some sort of--possibly engineered--attack, and that martial law will be declared. With the country in such a state, the election could be suspended, and Bush could continue to be President indefinitely!

Those not willing to go that far simply believe that the election will be stolen (again!), and John McCain will inherit the power structure the Bushies built for him.

I'd be lying to say I haven't pondered scenarios like the above, and others. I'm not sure I'd seriously entertain them. But, when I read a story like the one below, I start to get a little nervous. . .

[Excerpt]

The Thought Crime Law

. . .Worthwhile or not, the story’s about a bill that recently passed the House of Representatives and looks on track to pass the Senate and be signed into law. Over 98 percent of Congressmen, including all five from Connecticut, voted in favor of it (the final count was 404 to 6), and when a bill passes with such a high majority it’s usually easy to find among that 98 percent a few Congressmen willing to go on the record to say “I voted for this incredibly important bill because blah blah blah.”

Not this time. . .

Read more at: Jenifer Abel

Interesting Theory: John McCain Drops Out of Race

Photo from source, Huffington Post

Whoa! Sure, it's wild speculation, but we're getting used to wild cards in this race, aren't we? Now, I'm not a big believer in this theory, but you have to wonder; if John McCain did drop out, would the nomination automatically go to the second-place finisher? Or would "the powers that be" pick somebody from left field?

In what would surely be a political "Hail Mary" pass, the Republicans would score major press, and take away any buzz Barack Obama might be getting at the time. But what a roll of the dice!

[Excerpt]

When McCain Drops Out

When the Republicans choose their candidate on September 4th, there is a very real chance that they could throw the election into an unexpected chaos as they pull a genuine September Surprise.

I think there is every reason to believe John McCain won't be the nominee. Ok, let me say that again. McCain will not be the Republican candidate in November.

Here's how it could happen. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Blackwater to Open Site in San Diego?

Photo from source, Raw Story

If I didn't have so much trust in our government and the Bush Administration, this might worry me. Fortunately, I know they wouldn't do anything that wasn't in the best interests of all Americans. So any worries about hired mercenaries helping enforce martial law would just be a mad fever-dream of a tinfoil hat-wearing conspiracy theorist. Or something. Where is that hat, anyway?

[Excerpt]

Federal judge allows Blackwater to open San Diego facility

A federal judge has ordered the city of San Diego to allow military contractor Blackwater Worldwide to begin using a new counterterrorism training facility. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

More on the DC Madam: Suicide Notes Released

Photo from source, AOL News

I'm sorry. I still don't buy it. It's too neat and tidy. It may be tinfoil-hatty, and I'll concede that my particular helmet does land on my head with some frequency. But this just doesn't convince me.

[Excerpt]

Suicide Notes of 'D.C. Madam' Released

Convicted "D.C. Madam" Deborah Jeane Palfrey railed against what she called a "modern-day lynching" in notes to her mother and sister before hanging herself at her mother's Florida home, police disclosed Monday. . .

Read more at: AOL News

DC Madam Warned that She Would be "Suicided?"

Photo from source, Prison Planet

I told you this story made me reach for my tinfoil hat. Obviously, I'm not the only one. Check it out.

[Excerpt]

DC Madam Predicted She Would Be Suicided

DC Madam Deborah Jeane Palfrey predicted she would be "suicided" on several occasions both recently and as far back as 17 years ago - comments that now appear ominous in light of the announcement that the former head of a Washington escort service allegedly killed herself today. . .

Read more at: Prison Planet