Who's patting down Mr. Limbaugh?

I've not been watching too much politics for the last few days. It's very frustrating when I do watch, though. The latest buzz on the right is about the pat-downs at the airport. You'd think every person was having nude body cavity searches right there in front of God and everybody. But no - it's about 2% of flyers being patted down. And I'm thinking the TSA folks aren't all that happy about having to fondle people, either. I mean - there are people in this world to whom "hygiene" is a foreign language! Pity the TSA person that's patting down the traveler that hasn't washed body nor clothes for the last two weeks! Yuck!

But my rant today is about Rush. Yea, Limbaugh. He blames Mr. Obama, of course (since the TSA folks are government workers). You'd think Rush actually had to fly commercial and is personally inconvenienced. The real issue for him is, of course, that he has yet another opportunity to bash our government for the sake of ratings. I really really intensely dislike Mr. Limbaugh - to the point of not being able to tolerate his voice for more than 5 minutes at a stretch anymore - but I will ALWAYS defend his right to say whatever he wants. HOWEVER ... even though he considers himself an entertainer first (thus meaning that we should put ZERO credence in what he has to say since he'll say anything for ratings), he should have enough respect for our country (AND our system of government) to accept that fact that words have consequences.

While Rush may know that he's simply spouting drivel to drive up his advertising revenues and line his pockets with even MORE money (what's he going to buy with all that money anyway??), he should also know that his words encourage the lunatic fringe. Just as the anti-abortion protesters say they don't advocate violence as they spout their inflammatory words yet cheer when another doctor providing abortion services is murdered by one of their ilk, Rush really should step up to the plate and quit trying to enrage the lunatic fringe for the purposes of feathering his nest. After all - don't you think Rush would be the first person to scream outrage if one of our planes was blown up because the TSA didn't do enough checking??? So Rush ... chill, dude. You've got lots of followers who believe every word you say. Try to do some good in the world. I'm just sayin'......

Sharks being jumped

Have the Republicans already blown their political capital? In the world that is current-day politics, where no one respects any one else, or even the office of anyone else, I think it's still bad form to disrespect the office of the President. When he invites you to dinner, you show up and the hell with your schedule. The Republicans blew off the White House: how can we expect to see any "working together" if this is how the new Congress starts (before it even starts!!)? But wait ... it gets worse.

Yesterday the House failed to extend unemployment benefits to millions of our fellow citizens because the Republicans wanted to actually pay for it. Hey - that's fine with me! I think fiscal responsibility is a terrific idea! I'm willing to see cuts made to pay for extending benefits. But I want some consistency. The Republicans are NOT willing to pay for extending the Bush-era tax cuts yet "demand" that they be extended for all income brackets. OK dudes and dudettes - how are we going to pay for that? Could that deafening sound that I don't hear be the silence emanating from the right side of the aisle? Two bad moves in as many days just might have cost the Republicans all the good will they had the day after the mid-terms.

I'm just sayin' .......